Upside Down
by hockey.chic9
Summary: Trapper has always been a skirt chaser. What will happen when the 4077th's newest nurse turns his life upside down two months after his wife files for divorce? T/OC
1. A new arrival

A/N: Welcome to my first M*A*S*H fanfic! I hope you enjoy it. I want to thank Corka for giving me permission to use a couple parts from some of her works.

The quiet atmosphere at the MASH 4077th was broken by the sound of a lone chopper approaching the helipad. Trapper and Hawkeye looked up from their checkers game as the PA system rattled to life. "Don't worry, folks, no wounded to speak of."

Trapper grinned as he poured himself another gin. "That's good to know."

Hawkeye nodded, his eyes on the board. "I don't know about you, but I've had enough meatball surgery for the rest of my life. I wonder if I'll get that return letter from Bess Truman soon."

Glancing out the screen door of the Swamp, Trapper noticed Radar heading up to the helipad in a jeep. "Say, didn't Hot Lips say something about one of the new nurses coming in a day later? Making that today, of course."

"That's right," Hawkeye said, his eyes alighting with mischief. "I forgot about the dessert coming in today." The game forgotten, the two tossed back the rest of their gin and left the Swamp. Ambling around the camp as they waited for Radar to get back with the new nurse, they passed the nurse's quarters, pausing to watch a couple of the nurses who came in the day before walk past them talking and giggling in low tones. "So Trap, what's the latest from the lawyer?" Hawkeye asked.

Trapper shrugged. "He figures I can get joint custody of the girls." He had gotten a telegram two months earlier from his wife Louise, stating she was filing for divorce. Trapper had been surprised; even with his indiscretions, he still loved his wife…at least he thought so. "What do you think the new nurse will be like? Think she'll be like Dish?" The lovely Lieutenant Dish, whom Hawkeye had drooled over for months, had been transferred to Seoul the week before.

"I think we're about to find out," Hawkeye replied as the jeep came back into view. They caught a brief glimpse of the nurse as Radar zoomed past. "Did you see much?"

"Nothing more than a Class A uniform and Radar." Trapper and Hawkeye changed their course to head for the commander's office. Major Houlihan was already in Henry's office when the two strolled through the door. "Radar, what do you think? Dish?" Trapper asked on the way past.

Radar had a dreamy look across his face. "Better."

"Careful, Radar, or you'll fog up your glasses," Hawkeye cracked as he and Trapper pushed open the door into Henry's office. "Hello Henry, Hot Lips, mysterious nurse," he said as he claimed his usual chair.

Henry sighed. "Is there a reason you two are here, besides to give me a bigger headache?" When Hawkeye just flashed his usual grin, Henry shrugged. "Lieutenant Kate Boswell, meet Captains Hawkeye Pierce and Trapper McIntyre. Watch out for these two."

**_TBC..._**

The more reviews, the faster I update! Actually, I'm planning on regular updates, but reviews would be nice...


	2. Trapper, meet Kate

A/N: Last chapter, I forgot to add the disclaimer that I don't own M*A*S*H or any of the characters in it. Believe me, I wish I did own a few! So there's the disclaimer. Enjoy!

_Previously: Henry sighed. "Is there a reason you two are here, besides to give me a bigger headache?" When Hawkeye just flashed his usual grin, Henry shrugged. "Lieutenant Kate Boswell, meet Captains Hawkeye Pierce and Trapper McIntyre. Watch out for these two."_

Lt. Kate Boswell turned to the two, and Trapper fully saw her for the first time. Raven hair was swept up and twisted into a sophisticated knot at the back of her head. Her ivory skin was smooth and flawless. Her green eyes sparkled, and her full red lips, offset by her ivory skin, were curved into a hint of a smile. "Pleasure to meet you," she said to them, offering her hand first to Hawkeye, then to Trapper. Taking her hand in his, Trapper gave one of his signature grins. Their eyes met and for a moment Trapper was lost in those green depths. He forced himself to let go of her hand before he made a fool of himself.

"Where is she going to stay, Henry? There isn't enough room in the nurses' quarters until the end of the week, at least," Margaret said.

"She's welcome to stay in the Swamp. She could have Frank's bunk," Hawkeye piped up.

Henry stopped Margaret before she began her usual tirade. "Lieutenant Boswell will stay in the VIP tent until further notice. Is there anything else?" With that they were dismissed. Lt. Boswell followed Margaret out of the tent, with Trapper and Hawkeye bringing up the rear.

"I'll get the next game set up in the Swamp, Trap," Hawkeye said as he spotted one of his favorite nurses hanging up her laundry.

"The VIP tent is this way, Lieutenant," Margaret said.

Trapper reached in and grabbed the bag before Lt. Boswell could. "Allow me," he said as he headed for the VIP tent.

Margaret sighed. "McIntyre isn't usually this polite," she grumbled. "I'll show you around the camp once you get unpacked. If you'll excuse me, I just remembered an important meeting I have with another officer."

Trapper turned to see Margaret head for her tent, where Frank was waiting; he had watched Frank slip in there earlier. "Lieutenant, would you like a hand unpacking?" he asked, holding the door to the VIP tent open for her.

"I'd appreciate it. And please, call me Kate," she replied as she walked inside. Her hand brushed Trapper's as she took her bag from him, and it felt like electricity shot through his body at the touch.

"So where are you from?" he asked, watching her movements.

"Everywhere," Kate said with a laugh. She opened the bag and pulled out a pile of clothes. "Hang these in the closet, would you please?" she said, tossing a few shirts to Trapper. "I've moved around a lot. Started on the West coast and worked my way to the East coast. Loved the Midwest and the New England area. I think I spent the longest time in Boston." Once everything was out of the bag, she carried a pile of clothes to the closet and set them on the shelf. "Gypsy blood runs in my family."

Trapper picked up the worn Bible from the bed. A photo of a man and woman with two children slid out when he flipped it open. "Family photo?" he asked, holding it up.

Kate glanced at it as she set a stack of books on the shelf. "That was taken when I was a kid, before my dad left. He was half Gypsy, and never stayed in one spot for long. It's the only family picture I have. That can go by the bed."

"So does Kate stand for anything special?"

"Katarina. It means 'pure one' in Gypsy." She turned to Trapper, a wry grin crossing her face. "I suppose there's a story behind 'Trapper'?"

Trapper grinned as well, somewhat embarrassed. "I was on a train and ended up _in flagrante delicto _in the ladies restroom with a beauty queen. She said that I had trapped her. I've been called Trapper ever since."

"What were you called before then?"

"My parents didn't believe in short, simple names. John Francis Xavier McIntyre. Trapper's a lot simpler," he said with a shrug.

"Kate's a lot simpler than Katarina Shebari Nadja Boswell." Kate smiled. "My father didn't believe in simple names, either."

"So, if Katarina means pure one, what do the other names mean?"

Kate chuckled. "Nadja is Romanian for 'hope'. Shebari…well, I'll save that one for later." She tossed her Oriental silk robe over the chair at the desk. "So what about you? Where do you call home?"

Trapper fiddled with a curtain. "Boston. My family's there, including my soon-to-be-ex wife. Got the news in a telegram two months ago."

Kate paused and gently touched his arm. "Hey, I'm sorry."

He shrugged. "I guess it was meant to happen. The lawyer says I'll probably get joint custody of the girls…my two daughters, Becky and Kathy." He shook his head, not wanting to think about it.

"How about I change, then you show me around the camp?" Kate asked, wisely changing the subject.

"I suppose you'll want me to step out?" Trapper replied with his usual grin. He was surprised when she stepped closer to him, so close that Trapper couldn't slip a piece of paper between them if he wanted to. Not that he minded. Tipping her chin up with a finger, Trapper allowed himself to get lost in her green eyes again. "Well?"

A smile spread across Kate's face. Slowly she lifted her hand and slid the pins out of her hair, freeing her black hair so it tumbled down past her shoulders. Trapper wanted to run his fingers through the dark strands. "You're right," Kate said softly.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I do want you to wait outside," she replied with a wink. Trapper was stunned for a second, then grinned as he stepped outside the tent. Kate didn't keep him waiting long; within a few minutes she had changed into casual Army wear and stepped outside with him, twisting her long dark hair into a braid.

Trapper and Kate slowly walked around the compound as he pointed everything out. They stopped in at Klinger's tent, where Klinger gladly showed off his latest creation. Passing the latrines and showers, Trapper showed Kate where Radar kept his pets. He took her through the hospital tents quickly, promising that she'd soon get sick of the sight of them with the amount of meatball surgery they would do. "Be careful when you're in this one," he said, gesturing to a large tent. "They'll try to lay you out faster than the war itself."

"What is it?" Kate asked, curious.

Trapper grinned. "The mess tent."

Kate laughed, tossing her head back as she enjoyed the joke. As they pasted Father Mulcahy's tent, the padre invited them inside. "I do hope you'll find our camp as enjoyable as it can be in these conditions," he said in his usual jovial way. "I'm Father Mulcahy."

"Kate Boswell. It's a pleasure to meet you, Father," Kate replied, shaking his hand.

"Kate…is that short for Katherine?" the padre asked.

She shook her head. "Katarina."

Father Mulcahy pondered for a moment. "I believe that's the Spanish version of Katherine. Are you Hispanic?"

"Not that I know of. My father followed his heritage and gave me Gypsy names."

"Ah, you're Gypsy. I've met a few Gypsies. Very nice folk. Wanderers, you know. I remember a time…well, that's another story for another day. I trust I'll see you Sunday morning?" he inquired, glancing from Trapper to Kate and back.

Kate smiled, her eyes sparkling. "Of course. And I'm sure I'll find the 4077th enjoyable," she said, glancing at Trapper. As they stepped out of the padre's tent, Kate glanced around. "Where to next?" she asked.

Trapper shrugged. "Well, I could show you the Swamp. That's where I bunk with Hawkeye and Ferret Face."

"Ferret Face?" Kate asked, chuckling.

"Wait 'til you see him. You'll understand," Trapper replied. "You've already seen the VIP tent and Henry's and Radar's offices." Snapping his fingers, he said, "The supply tent. That's a popular place. Or I could point out the motor pool, Margaret's tent, the nurses' quarters, the Officer's Club…it's your choice."

Kate shielded her eyes from the sun, considering her choices while Trapper waited for her answer. "How popular is the supply tent at this time of the day?"

Trapper glanced towards it. "Considering the lack of wounded, I reckon someone's already in there with…"

"Shhh," Kate interrupted him. "Listen." The air was silent, then the unmistakable sound of choppers filled the air. "I think I'm about to get a crash course in…what do you call it, meatball surgery?" Kate said as she and Trapper broke into run toward the OR.

**_TBC...._**

More reviews would be nice...


	3. OR Aftermath

A/N: I figured, why not post one more chapter for the weekend? Warning, this chapter will explain why the story is rated M. As usual, I don't own anything M*A*S*H related (sigh). Also...thank you, beahawk, for informing me that blatantly hinting for reviews will not yield a good amount. Enjoy!

_Previously: "Shhh," Kate interrupted him. "Listen." The air was silent, then the unmistakable sound of choppers filled the air. "I think I'm about to get a crash course in…what do you call it, meatball surgery?" Kate said as she and Trapper broke into run toward the OR._

Once they were scrubbed in there was no time for chitchat. Kate flitted between the operating tables as needed; Trapper noticed that she spent as much time assisting Hawkeye, Henry, and Frank as she did assisting him. The hours blended together as the surgeons patched together the wounded GIs. Eventually Trapper got a ten minute break. As he stood outside wolfing down a couple sandwiches that Klinger had brought from the mess tent, he watched as one of the nurses came out of the post-op ward on her break. She shot him suggestive glances every now and then, which he acknowledged but didn't act on. Going back inside, he sat on one of the benches in the pre-op room and snagged a glass of orange juice from the tray of a passing nurse. Just as he was raising the glass to his lips, Kate stepped out of the OR. "There you are, Trapper. Hawkeye needs you now," she said, a touch of fatigue in her voice.

Trapper tossed back the orange juice and got up. "And here I was hoping you needed me," he joked lightly as he squeezed past her to scrub up again. As he turned on the water he heard her soft comment, more to herself than to him.

"I just might need you sooner or later."

Nineteen hours later all the wounded had been either patched up or, in the case of the GI for whom Hawkeye had needed Trapper's assistance, given last rites. Hawkeye and Trapper trudged out of the OR into the dusky evening, bone weary and ready to shut out the world for a few hours. "Fancy a trip to the bar?" Hawkeye asked. Trapper nodded, cracking his jaw with a massive yawn. While Hawkeye went through the door of the Swamp straight to the still, Trapper stood in the doorway, watching for Kate. Finally she left the post-op tent and walked slowly towards the VIP tent. Just as she reached the door, as if knowing that he was watching, Kate looked over at him. She flashed a small smile and flipped a wave to him before slipping into the tent. After a moment a light switched on inside the tent. "Trap, there's a drink with your name on it," Hawkeye called from his bunk. Trapper turned and finally entered the tent, collapsed on his bunk, and picked up the martini glass from the nearby table. "You're quite taken with the new nurse," Hawkeye said, not bothering to open his eyes.

"She's sure something," Trapper admitted, sipping his gin. "There's something different about her. She's not like the other nurses. I just can't explain it."

"Then don't try," Hawkeye muttered. Within minutes he was snoring softly.

Trapper dozed on and off, jerking awake when Frank crashed onto his bunk an hour later. Grumbling to himself, he turned onto his side and…waited. After another half hour of staring into the darkness, Trapper sat up and rubbed the grit out of his eyes. Hawkeye and Frank were both deep in slumber, and the camp was silent. He was about to lay back down when he noticed the light in the VIP tent was still on. Silently he slid from his bed, slipped on his yellow robe, and quietly eased out of the Swamp. Crossing the compound, he knocked softly on the door of the tent. When he didn't hear anything, he stepped inside.

Kate sat unmoving at the table, her chin resting on her slim hand. "I don't believe I gave permission to enter," she remarked in a quiet tone, not looking toward the door. "Of course, you're not the type to submit to authority willingly. Besides, I figured you would come."

"Is that so?" Trapper asked, amused. He could hear the fatigue in her voice. "You've got to be exhausted. Why haven't you crashed like the rest of the camp? And how did you know it was me?" he asked, moving in to massage her shoulders.

She gestured to the notepad in front of her, filled with jotted notes. "There were too many thoughts buzzing around in my head. If I don't write them down, I'm not able to sleep. Don't ask me how I knew it was you, I just did. It's a gift." She leaned into his hands and sighed. "Thank you."

"Anytime." Her silk robe slid under his hands as he kneaded the muscles in her neck and shoulders. "You've got a knot back here," he commented, gently pressing against her right shoulder.

Kate nodded. "I know. I get knots in that one all the time since I had surgery on it." She tugged the collar of her robe down off her shoulder. "They tried to minimize the scar," she said, pointing out the thin white scar. Without thinking, Trapper traced it with his forefinger before planting a kiss against the pale line. Kate giggled. "That tickles," she whispered. Trapper pulled her sheet of black hair away and nuzzled her neck. "Trapper…that's…ahh…" Her voice trailed off into a purr, before she bolted from her chair and whirled to face him. "Trapper, we can't."

Trapper felt a bit insulted. "Why not? Don't you want to?"

"More than you know," Kate replied. She stepped close to him, as close as she had been when they were together the first time, and wrapped her arms around his waist. "I would love nothing more than to make good use of that bed with you, but seeing as how we've both had…" Trapper had begun nuzzling her neck again, "…hours of…of surgery…and you've got…mmmm…" he had moved up to nibbling her earlobe, "you've got problems stateside…" she sighed with pleasure, "and an amazing way of persuasion." She craned her neck to give him better access as his strong arms snaked around her slender waist. "Trapper...look at me." He did, and she smiled. "Kiss me."

He flashed his crooked smile. "What do you think I've been doing?" he whispered before pressing his lips to hers. Trapper had kissed many a nurse before, but this kiss was different. He could feel the passion in the kiss, could feel the energy running through both his and Kate's bodies. Drawing her flush against his body, Trapper deepened the kiss when he felt her tongue brush against his lips. He felt her hands slip between them and loosen the belt of his robe before pushing it off his muscular shoulders. Breaking the kiss, Kate grasped the fabric of his t-shirt and tugged it over his head. Her nimble fingers traced over his shoulders, pectorals, and abs, driving Trapper crazy. "You're impatient for someone wanting to wait," he scolded lightly as he untied the belt of her robe. The silk slid off of her and pooled around her feet; she kicked it away as Trapper reached around her to turn off the lamp. Without the light, the moonlight filtered around the curtains right where Kate was standing. Trapper stood back and just looked at her. "That's a whole lot of nothin' you've got on," he said huskily.

Kate smiled, not ashamed of her nakedness. Stepping forward, she placed her hands on Trapper's hips and slowly slid his boxers off. Now it was her turn to step back and look at Trapper's body. "What artist sculpted you?" she breathed as he reached for her again. As he pulled her close to him, his erection pressed against her belly. "You're driving me crazy, Trapper," she whispered before kissing him again. She ran her hands over his broad back, reveling in the cords of muscle.

Trapper wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her off her feet, kissing her deeply. He felt her bury her fingers in his thick curly hair, felt her firm breasts crushed against his chest, felt her long silky legs wrap around his waist. With one easy movement he slid inside her, almost losing himself to the smooth heat that enveloped him. "Oh Kate…" he groaned softly against her lips. Moving carefully across the tent, he pressed her back against the door of the closet; when he had her pinned, Trapper began thrusting into her hard and fast. Breaking the kiss, he pressed his lips against her neck. He could feel her soft moans vibrating in her throat. He kept thrusting until he felt Kate stiffen against him. Knowing what was coming, he fiercely kissed her to muffle her squeal of pleasure as an orgasm pounded through her body. Wrapping his arms around her, Trapper felt her body tremble with pleasure as he carried her to the bed and gently laid her down, managing to keep himself inside her.

"Trapper…don't stop," Kate whispered.

He reached a hand up and caressed her face, her skin silken under his calloused fingers. "Trust me, I'm not about to," he said, his voice husky as he started to move inside her. Slowly, sensuously, Trapper made love to Kate. Smoothing a stray strand of raven hair away from her face, he kissed her deeply, savoring her taste. Momentarily ignoring the fire building within him, Trapper continued his passionate assault on Kate, who trembled under his touch and purred against his mouth. Soon he could feel her tighten around him, and he let himself go. As the second orgasm raged within Kate, Trapper rode it out as his thrusting increased beyond his control, finally feeling himself release. For a few moments they remained in position before Trapper eased onto the mattress beside Kate, cuddling her against his chest. Pressing a kiss to her temple, he sighed contently. "Thank you."

Kate snuggled against Trapper, her eyelids growing heavy. "You're welcome," she murmured. "But what are you thanking me for?"

Trapper sat up long enough to reach for the blanket at the end of the bed. Spreading it over their bodies, he lay back down and embraced Kate once again. "For coming here." Within moments they had drifted off to sleep.

**_TBC..._**

I rather enjoyed writing this chapter. I hope you enjoyed reading it! Have a great weekend!


	4. Going Back In

A/N: Once again, I don't own anything M*A*S*H related. Anyways, enjoy this chapter!

_Previously: Trapper sat up long enough to reach for the blanket at the end of the bed. Spreading it over their bodies, he lay back down and embraced Kate once again. "For coming here." Within moments they had drifted off to sleep._

"Trapper…hey, Trap."

Slowly Trapper opened his eyes, not quite recognizing his surroundings. Kate, still nestled in his embrace, sighed in her sleep, bringing the memories back for Trapper. Glancing up, he realized Hawkeye was in the VIP tent as well. "What the…"

Hawkeye grinned slightly, but his expression was grave. "One of your kids' fever spiked and he's crashing. I'm scrubbing in with you." Tossing a set of scrubs towards the bed, he stepped outside so Trapper could get dressed.

Adrenaline surged through Trapper's body. Carefully he eased out of the bed and pulled on his boxers, followed by the scrubs. He left his robe and t-shirt where they were and, after pressing a kiss to Kate's temple, hurried out of the tent to join Hawkeye in the OR. As they scrubbed in, the nurse on duty filled them in on what had happened. The wounded GI was already prepped and ready when Trapper and Hawkeye got in the OR. "This kid was loaded with shrapnel," Trapper muttered. "I thought I got it all, but I must have missed a fragment."

"You may have to run the bowel," Hawkeye suggested.

Trapper nodded as he reopened the GI, thinking _he's just a kid. _He'd spent a lot of time in the kid already, hunting for fragments and patching holes in his stomach and liver. He'd lost a lot of blood, but Trapper had thought the kid was out of the woods. With a sigh he got to work.

"Trap, his pressure's dropping," Hawkeye said a half hour later. "Have you found anything?"

"Not yet," Trapper replied, frustration in his voice. "Wait…wait, there it is." Carefully he extracted a tiny shrapnel fragment buried between the coils of intestine. Dropping it into the metal pan held by his friend, Trapper began sewing the GI back up.

"Good work. His pressure's coming back up," Hawkeye noted. Setting the pan aside, he watched Trapper work. "So you and the new nurse, huh? That was fast…trying to set a record?"

Trapper grinned sheepishly beneath his mask. "This is something I've never felt before," he admitted. "Not even with Louise. Not this intense, anyway. You know me, Hawk. You know I don't rush into something like that."

Hawkeye nodded in agreement. "No, you don't. That's more my style."

"Call me crazy…"

"You're crazy."

"…but I think Kate is special. She makes me feel different. No other nurse here has made me feel like this."

"Does she know about Louise?"

Trapper shook his head slightly as he worked on the last few stitches. "Not everything. She knows that I'm in the middle of a divorce, but I haven't gotten into the details yet." He fell silent as he tied off the stitch and started the final suture.

Hawkeye motioned for Klinger to help him carry the GI back into post-op. "Go back to bed, Trap. I'll take care of the rest for you," he said.

Trapper flipped him a wave and cleaned up before heading back to the VIP tent. Easing into the tent, he shed his clothes and crawled back into bed with Kate.

She stirred. "Trouble?" she asked sleepily as he wrapped his arms around her again.

"I had to go back in on one of the GIs. Missed a piece of shrapnel," Trapper said through a yawn. His body was sending him urgent rest telegrams. "He's okay now. Go back to sleep." As he started drifting to sleep he felt Kate twist around so they were spooned together. He tightened his embrace as sleep overtook him.

The sounds of the camp awoke Trapper in the morning. Stretching, he stilled as he felt Kate stir beside him. "Morning," he said, nuzzling her neck.

"Morning," she echoed, pressing against him as she stretched. "I wondered when you would wake up."

Trapper chuckled. "How long have you been awake?"

Kate rolled onto her back so she could see him. "Long enough to think we'd better get up," she said with a grin. "Otherwise Hawkeye'll probably send a search party for you."

"He knows."

Propping herself up on her elbows, Kate searched his face. "What do you mean, he knows?"

"He came to tell me about the soldier during the night." Leaning over, he gently kissed her. "Don't worry. I trust Hawkeye with my life. You can trust him."

Kate kissed him back before getting out of bed. "I trust your judgment." As she started dressing, she asked, "How are we going to do this?"

"Well, I figured we'd get to know each other, go on as good of a date as we can manage here…"

"I meant how are we going to get out of here without raising too much suspicion?" Kate said with a laugh as she pulled on a pair of pants. Reaching down, she snagged Trapper's clothes and tossed them in his direction. "I don't know about you, but I'm not too keen on the entire camp knowing about us."

Trapper grinned. Pulling his boxers on, he mentioned, "They're bound to find out anyway. Why leave 'em in suspense?" Reaching out, he grabbed her hand and tugged her over so she straddled his lap. "C'mere," he growled playfully before kissing her thoroughly.

Knocking on the door interrupted them a moment later. "Lt. Boswell?"

Kate sighed. "Just a minute," she called as she got off Trapper's lap and reached for a shirt. Tugging it over her head, she tucked in the hem and fastened her pants while Trapper pulled the rest of his clothes on. "Come in, Radar. And please, call me Kate."

Radar entered the tent, keeping his gaze down. "Yes, ma'am…I mean Kate. I hate to interrupt, but Hawkeye wanted me to tell Trapper that the, uh, the soldier you worked on last night died this morning."

As the company clerk left the tent, Trapper sighed in frustration. "I must have missed something, but that's not possible. I ran the bowel, I checked everything last night."

Kate sat on the bed beside him. "It was probably an infection from the shrapnel. You did everything you could." Squeezing his hand, she continued, "There's a saying that I heard a few years ago: there are certain rules about a war, and rule number one is young men die, and rule number two is doctors can't change rule number one." When Trapper looked at her, she shrugged. "What? We both know it's true."

"Did you go to command school with Henry? That's the same thing he told Hawkeye a while ago when his buddy Tommy was killed," Trapper replied. Seeing Kate's confused look, he explained, "A few months ago Tommy Gillis, a friend of Hawk's, came to visit. He was writing a book about the war. Funny guy, you'd have liked him. Anyway, he went to the front and caught a bullet that tore through the aorta. He made it to the OR, but Hawk couldn't save him." Trapper shook his head. "That was the first time the war really got to Hawkeye." After a moment he stood. "Come on, I'll get you a cup of bad coffee."

**_TBC..._**

Thanks again to beahawk. I do understand that you're only trying to help, and I really appreciate it.


	5. Games, Memories, and a Spitfire

A/N: Of course, I own nothing M*A*S*H related. The songs are (obviously) Frank Sinatra's "I've Got You Under My Skin" and the duet "Baby It's Cold Outside". Check out the version by Margaret Whiting and Johnny Mercer on youtube for an idea of how it sounded at the time. FYI, anything in italics (beside the 'previously' bit at the beginning of every chapter) is a thought or memory. Enjoy the chapter!

_Previously: Trapper shook his head. "That was the first time the war really got to Hawkeye." After a moment he stood. "Come on, I'll get you a cup of bad coffee."_

"I have to admit, you're a smart man," Kate said with a laugh as Hawkeye moved his bishop to put her king in check one day in the early summer.

"Don't say that too often," Trapper warned from his bunk, where he was writing a letter to his daughters and whistling 'I've Got You Under My Skin'. "His head will get even bigger." He laughed as Hawkeye chucked a pawn at him. Tossing it back, Trapper let his mind drift as he thought about the last four months. Kate had taken to the 4077th way of life quite well, and her nursing skills were well-appreciated by all the doctors, even Frank. Trapper grinned as he remembered one of the sessions in the OR on a particularly cold day…

_The wounded had been coming at a steady pace. Trapper, with Kate's help, had patched up more GIs than he cared to remember. "This is getting monotonous," he grumbled, pulling off the bloodstained gloves as the next wounded soldier was carried in._

_Kate held a new set for him to slide his hands into. "Then do something about it, Doc," she replied, her tired eyes missing their usual sparkle._

"_Why don't you sing something, Trap?" Hawkeye suggested from the next table. "Maybe your hot air will warm the place up."_

_There was a moment of silence before Kate shrugged. "I really can't stay…" she softly began singing_

"_Baby it's cold outside," Trapper echoed, catching the tune._

"_I've got to go away…"_

"_Baby it's cold outside. Clamp." _

"_Clamp." She passed him a clamp. "This evening has been…"_

"_Been hoping that you'd drop in."_

"_So very nice." _

_Trapper was enjoying himself. "I'll hold your hands, they're just like ice."_

"My mother will start to worry…" 

"_Beautiful, what's your hurry?"_

Kate's voice was golden. "My father will be pacing the floor."

"_Listen to the fireplace roar."_

"So really I'd better scurry." 

"_Beautiful, please don't hurry…"_

"Well maybe just a half a drink more."

"_Put some music on while I pour…Klinger, I could use a drink over here." Klinger brought a glass of orange juice over, which Trapper sucked dry through the straw. "Thanks."_

_Kate winked at Trapper and gestured to Frank. "The neighbors might think…"_

"Baby, it's bad out there," Trapper continued, returning her wink.

"Say, what's in this drink?"

"_No cabs to be had out there. Jeeps, in this case. Sponge, honey."_

"Sponge. I wish I knew how…" Kate sponged the area.

"_Your eyes are like starlight now." Trapper pulled a fragment out and examined it before dropping it into the pan._

"_To break this spell."_

"_I'll take your hat, your hair looks swell."_

"_Will you two knock it off over there?" Frank demanded._

_Henry shot him a look. "Frank, there's no harm in what they're doing. And personally, I'm enjoying it."_

"_Get in the spirit, Frank," Hawkeye said as he operated. "You're giving the Grinch a run for his money."_

"_I ought to say no, no, no, sir." _

"_Suction. Mind if I move a little closer…"_

"_Suction." Kate suctioned out the extra blood. "At least I'm gonna say that I tried."_

"_What's the sense in hurting my pride."_

"_I really can't stay."_

"_Baby don't hold out…"_

"_Ahh, but it's cold outside," they harmonized together._

_Father Mulcahy stopped at their table. "You sound fantastic together," he commented. "Like you were meant to sing together." _

The singing had helped pass the time that session. Not only could Kate sing, she was also a whiz on the piano, something the camp had learned during the last no-talent contest.

Radar had introduced Kate to his menagerie of pets and she quickly earned his respect—more like devotion, really—when she saved Fluffy from a stray dog after the rabbit had escaped from her hutch. Besides a mutual love for animals, Kate and Radar shared the uncanny ability to know certain things ahead of time, particularly when choppers were coming.

Kate's stay in the VIP tent had ended up going beyond one week, which was something neither Kate nor Trapper complained about. Finally about a month after Kate arrived at the 4077th she was moved into the nurses' quarters. Of course, that didn't stop their nighttime—and daytime—escapades.

It became obvious to the camp that what was between Trapper and Kate was serious when Trapper started turning down offers from other nurses. They had also taken to going on picnics every week, where Trapper would share stories about the 4077th: the ceasefire that wasn't to be, the propaganda bomb, his boxing stint, and Kim among other things. Kate sometimes took a drink with the guys in the Swamp. "What can I say? She's bringing out the honest man in me," he had chuckled one afternoon over a drink with Hawkeye and Sidney Freedman.

"Trapper? Hey, Trap." Hawkeye's voice burst through Trapper's reverie.

"What?"

Hawkeye grinned. "I said are you going to help me here? She's got me in checkmate again."

Trapper glanced at the board and grinned back. "Nope." He'd discovered first-hand that Kate was vicious with a chess set.

"All right, Benedict Arnold," Hawkeye retorted. Turning back to Kate, he added, "Checkers. I'm the checker king. Want a refill?"

Kate nodded as she cleared the chess pieces off and started setting up the next game. "Yes please. You might want to make yours a double, Hawk, because the king is about to be dethroned. So is it true that you walked through the mess tent naked?"

Trapper roared with laughter. "That little jaunt won me fifty bucks!"

Hawkeye was about to offer a retort when Frank entered the Swamp. Seeing the three of them he huffed, "Well, what do we have here? I expected you two cretins to be here swilling gin, but I thought you," pointing at Kate, "would have more sense than that." He smirked. "You all think you're so smart. The entire camp knows what's going on between the two of you. I have half a mind to write to the General about this."

"Half a mind…well, that's about right," Hawkeye chuckled as he started refilling their drinks.

"Gee, you think, Frank?" muttered Trapper. Glancing at Kate, he was surprised to see her normally ivory skin flushing. The look in her eyes was mutinous.

"At least we're smart enough to admit it," she said, her normally clear sweet voice tight with anger. The sound of it made Hawkeye turn from the still; the surprised look on his face matched the one on Trapper's. While Kate and Frank weren't friends, she had always been cordial with him.

Frank stared at Kate. "What is that supposed to mean, Lieutenant?"

She stood; Trapper could see she was trembling with rage. "You know exactly what that's supposed to mean, _Major_. Do you seriously think this camp is blind to the goings-on between you and Major Houlihan? At least we're being honest."

Frank raised his finger and Trapper shot off his bunk. Hawkeye caught his friend. "Easy, Trap. Look at her, she can take care of herself," he said quietly.

"Now look here, you are addressing a superior officer," Frank said, a nervous look crossing his face as he pointed at her again.

Kate's green eyes radiated fury. "I'm currently showing you the same respect you show Henry. And may I remind you, he is _your _commanding officer."

"She's got you there, Frank," Hawkeye said.

"You keep out of this, Pierce," snapped Frank as he opened the door and left in a huff.

Hawkeye turned back to the still. "You'd think Frank would be used to dominant women by now," he cracked as he finally finished refilled the martini glasses.

Trapper crossed over and touched Kate's arm. "What was that, Kate?" he asked softly.

She turned to face him, her color returning to normal. "I'm…I'm not sure," she admitted. "For some reason he just rubbed me the wrong way when he came in." Taking the glass Hawkeye offered, Kate leaned against Trapper as he wrapped an arm around her. "I think the latest round of wounded yesterday got to me. One of the boys looked like Marko…at least what I imagine he'd look like now."

Hawkeye had reclaimed his seat. "Marko? What does that stand for?" Kate had told him about Gypsy names and meanings.

"Marko was Kate's brother," Trapper said, giving her a gentle squeeze. She'd told him about her brother on one of their picnics when he'd asked about the picture in her Bible. "He died of pneumonia when he was six. What did you say his name meant, sweetheart?"

"It's Basque for 'warlike," Kate added. "I've always tried to imagine what he would look like as an adult. One of the boys yesterday looked just like what I've imagined Marko would look like now." With a small shake of her head she was back to her usual self. "Go finish your letter, Trap. I've got a challenge to uphold."

Radar stepped into the Swamp an hour later. "Hi, Kate, Trapper, Hawkeye. Kate, could I ask you a favor?"

"Ask away," Kate replied as she watched Hawkeye jump three of Trapper's checkers in quick succession. They had each won a round before Trapper finished his letter and jumped in for a game.

"Well, see, I'm leaving tomorrow for a three day R&R, and I need someone to give Fluffy her medication. I was hoping you could," Radar said.

Kate smiled at him, and Radar blushed. "Of course, Radar. Just show me how," she said.

Radar glanced at his watch. "I can show you now," he said hopefully. "It's time for her medication. And Trapper, don't forget that you've got post-op duty in an hour."

"How could I forget?" Trapper said, rolling his eyes as he moved a checker.

As Kate followed Radar out of the tent, Hawkeye grinned. "You might have some competition, Trap. I think Radar's in love." Moving one of his pieces, he added, "You know that we've got a very important conference in five days, right?"

"They've all RSVP'd?"

"Radar confirmed it this morning."

**_TBC..._**

So Kate can be a little spitfire! Think Frank will really write to the general? (Of course not.) Anyone care to guess what the 'very important conference' is?


	6. Trouble in Paradise, such as it is

A/N: I still don't own M*A*S*H. Enjoy!

_Previously: __"Radar confirmed it this morning."_

The day of the 'important conference' arrived, and with it came Captain Pak and Sidney Freedman. Hawkeye and Trapper were getting the Swamp cleaned and set up when Kate knocked on the door in the late afternoon. "Come on in, Kate," Hawkeye called as he stuffed clothes into his footlocker. "Help yourself to a drink."

"Thanks. After the shift I just had with Frank, I could use one," she admitted as she entered. As she passed Trapper he grabbed her hand, twirled her around and dipped her, then kissed her thoroughly before letting her go to the still.

"Show-off," Hawkeye said with a laugh. "I'm going to go see if Sidney and Sam are settled and if they're ready to lose their money."

As the door slapped shut behind him, Kate turned to Trapper. "I'm out of the loop," she said with a half grin as she poured a drink and held the glass out to Trapper. "So are you sure we can't get a picnic in before the conference?" she asked as she poured another glass for herself.

Trapper shook his head. "Probably not. These usually last for hours, and knowing this place, we'll get interrupted." Tossing his drink back, he went to his footlocker and searched around, finally extracting the cards and poker chips for the game.

Kate watched him set his finding on the makeshift table. "And those are for…"

"For the poker games."

"Wait a minute…this 'important conference' is a poker game?" Kate's voice grew tight.

Trapper turned as he heard the anger entering her voice. "Yeah, it is. What's the matter, Kate?"

"Why did you tell me that we had to cancel our picnic for an important conference, instead of for a poker game?" She set her drink down with a clink.

"We've always called it a conference. Would you have been okay about cancelling if it was for a poker game?" he asked, his temper rising.

"Of course I would have!" Kate said sharply.

"Then why are you so hot and bothered about it? What difference does it make?" Trapper snapped back. He couldn't understand why Kate was upset about something as trivial as this.

"Why? Because you couldn't tell me the truth about it, that's why!" Kate retorted, her green eyes snapping with anger. Grabbing the drink, she tossed it back before storming out of the Swamp, running into Hawkeye outside.

"What was that about?" Hawk asked as he stepped inside. "A bit of a disagreement between you lovebirds?"

"She's being completely unreasonable, temperamental, and stubborn about this!" Trapper seethed as he poured himself another drink and tossed it back.

"What, the poker game tonight?"

Trapper nodded. "Apparently when I asked to cancel our picnic this afternoon, I didn't say it was a 'poker game', but the 'important conference', like we always call it. She said I lied to her," he retorted as he poured himself a third drink.

Hawkeye grabbed the drink from his hand. "Trap, calm down. She probably had a rough morning in post-op…"

"Maybe, but she didn't have to take it out on me!" Trapper retorted as he snatched the drink back and gulped it down.

"Look, both of you need to cool down and talk about it later," Hawkeye said.

Trapper sighed, his anger draining. "I know, I know." He sat on his bunk and buried his head in his hands. "I don't know why I got so upset with her. My temper got away from me."

Hawkeye shrugged. "It happens to the best of us, Trap. Just let her cool off, and apologize." Spotting Sam, Sidney, and Henry heading for the Swamp, he added, "Besides, you can't miss the conference…you need the money. You owe me."

**_TBC..._**

Uh oh...trouble in paradise! Think there's a reason for Kate's anger?


	7. Disaster

A/N: Whee hoo! Two chapters in one day! I figured I'd post chapter 7 tonight just becaus chapter 6 was kind of short. As usual, I don't own anything M*A*S*H related. Believe me, I'd like to. Enjoy!

_Previously: Hawkeye shrugged. "It happens to the best of us, Trap. Just let her cool off, and apologize." Spotting Sam, Sidney, and Henry heading for the Swamp, he added, "Besides, you can't miss the conference…you need the money. You owe me."_

Kate tapped on the door of the Swamp mid-morning. "Hawkeye, it's Kate. Can I come in?"

"Door's always open to you, Kate," Hawkeye replied as he lounged in his chair. "Trapper's in post-op, in case you're wondering," he mentioned as Kate stepped inside. "Have a seat. Care for a drink?"

She settled on Trapper's bunk, grabbing his pillow and hugging it close. "I know, I checked with Radar. And no thanks on the drink."

Hawkeye frowned. "You two still haven't made up? It's almost been two weeks. Now I'll admit, you two are civil working together, but…" His voice trailed off when he saw the tears tracing down Kate's cheeks. "Kate, what's wrong?"

"I'm pregnant."

"Pregnant?" Hawkeye sat forward. "Does Trapper know?"

Kate shook her head. "I don't know how to tell him."

Getting up, Hawkeye came over to sit beside her. "How long have you known?"

"I was due for my cycle last week. When it didn't come, I realized that it hadn't come last month, or the month before that," Kate replied. "At the time I thought it was the stress, or the lack of good food, something. I should have realized something then, because of…well, you know." Hawkeye nodded and she continued. "I haven't done any testing, but I've ruled everything else out. And it all adds up: missed cycles, irritability, nausea…"

Hawkeye nodded. "That does sound like you've become an incubator of the human kind." That got a watery chuckle from Kate. Hawk pulled her into a hug. "Probably about four months along. Don't worry about Trapper. You've seen him with the local kids here. He's going to be ecstatic. You've got to tell him soon, but I promise he won't hear it from me."

Kate wiped her tears on Trapper's pillow. "Thanks for lending me your ear, Hawk," she said. "I think I'm going to go lie down."

"Why don't you lie down here? Trapper's going to be in post-op for another couple hours," Hawkeye suggested. "I'm writing a letter to my dad, so I can keep an eye out for you." When she nodded, he stood so she could lie down. Turning away for a moment to grab a blanket, he turned back to see that Kate was already asleep. Hawkeye chuckled as he gently covered her with the blanket.

"Kate? Kate…" Hawkeye shook her awake almost two hours later. "Trapper's almost done in post-op. Do you want to wait for him here?"

She jolted awake. "What? Oh, no, I'll…" She shook her head, trying to clear the sleep from her brain. "I'll go back to the nurses' quarters so I can clean up a bit first, before I talk to him." Throwing the blanket back, she sat up and stretched, then took Hawkeye's offered hand and let him pull her to her feet. As she crossed to the door of the Swamp, she paused. "Hey Hawkeye?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks again."

Hawkeye grinned. "No problem. Now scoot," he said, spotting Trapper coming out of post-op as he stretched out on his bunk. Luck was on his side; Radar waylaid Trapper, and Kate, having spotted him as well, picked up her pace and scooted to the nurses' quarters. Just as she disappeared around the corner of the showers, Trapper finished his conversation with Radar and headed for the Swamp. "Anything to report?" Hawkeye questioned as Trapper collapsed on his bunk.

"Nothing new," he said as he buried his face in his pillow.

Hawkeye heard his friend muttering. "What?"

Trapper turned his head so he could see Hawkeye. "I said my pillow smells like Kate."

"Why don't you go talk to her? It's been almost two weeks."

"I don't know what to say," Trapper admitted.

"'I'm sorry' is always a good way to start."

Silence filled the tent.

"Trap, one of these days you're going to realize…" Hawkeye began.

"Realize what? That she's one of the best things that's happened to me?" Trapper replied bitterly. "That I can't picture my life without her in it? I've already realized that."

Hawkeye sat up on his bunk, looking at his friend. "Then why haven't you told her yet?"

Trapper rolled on his side. "Because…because I'm afraid she doesn't feel that way." He sighed and sat up as well. "I don't know if I could handle her saying no." He groaned as Hawkeye came over and dragged him to his feet. "C'mon, Hawk…"

"No, you come on," Hawkeye said, completely serious. "You know she's been coming to me to talk since you had that falling out?" When Trapper nodded, he continued, "Well, let's just say that she's told me a lot of what you just told me. Now, I'm going to make sure you two get a chance to talk it out."

They were partway towards the nurses' quarters when a shot rang out. Trapper and Hawkeye ducked instinctively. "Think that was Frank with his pistol again?" Trapper asked.

Another shot rang out, and the two surgeons dove for Radar's office. "I think that's another sniper!" Hawkeye retorted.

The air in the camp was tense as the sniper held everyone at bay for a long hour. Most of the 4077th had made it into the OR, or one of the connected buildings. Counting heads, Trapper's heart sank when he realized that Kate was missing. "Ginger, where's Kate?" he asked one of the nurses.

"She told me she was going for a walk to clear her head," came the response.

Trapper turned to Hawkeye, his eyes filling with fear. "Hawk, I have to find her."

Hawkeye caught him as he started to move towards the door. "You're not going anywhere until that sniper's contained," he argued. "Kate's smart. She heard the shots and no doubt found cover."

It seemed like forever before the sounds of a chopper was heard overhead, followed by gunfire. Trapper and Hawkeye scrambled to the door and looked towards where the original shots had come from. After a moment a white flag slowly rose from the brush and waved weakly. As Hawkeye grabbed a medical bag to go and assess the situation, the radio transmitter at Radar's desk crackled to life. "We got him, but it looks like he got someone else first. There's a body about 200 yards outside the camp on the west side."

**_TBC..._**

Whoa that was huge! Who was expecting that? And what's going to happen next?


	8. Damages, part 1

A/N: Let's put it this way...the M*A*S*H finale aired three years before I was born. So if I owned M*A*S*H, then that's some sort of miracle! Let's see what happens now, shall we?

_Previously: "We got him, but it looks like he got someone else first. There's a body about 200 yards outside the camp on the west side."_

Trapper paled and blasted out of the building. Running faster than he'd ever run before, he reached the westbound edge of the camp and paused long enough to scan the ground. _There!_ Trapper raced towards Kate's prone form sprawled just off a well-used path. "Kate…Kate, honey, look at me," he pleaded as he dropped to his knees beside her. The bullet had entered her side; she'd lost a lot of blood, even though she'd stemmed the wound with her shirt. "C'mon, Kate, open your eyes."

Slowly Kate's eyes fluttered open. "Trapper…" she whispered, her voice barely discernable. "One…shot. Not sure…" she groaned in pain. "Don't think…it came out."

"I'll get you patched up, sweetheart," Trapper promised as he helped Kate wrap her arms around his neck. Carefully picking her up, he made sure the blood-soaked shirt was still in place before starting back towards the camp. _I can't lose her_.

"Save...our baby."

Trapper's heart skipped a beat. "What?" he breathed, but Kate had slipped into unconsciousness. Hurrying towards the OR, he yelled for Hawkeye. "Get her prepped for surgery, now!" he said to Klinger as he carried Kate's limp form into the pre-op ward. Carefully setting her on a gurney, he stilled as he saw the North Korean sniper being carried into the OR.

Hawkeye hurried to meet his friend. "Trap, forget about him," he said in a low tone as he steered Trapper towards the scrub room. "Henry's going to work on him." The two men scrubbed up, and by the time they entered the OR Klinger and Radar had Kate prepped and ready on an operating table. As Trapper carefully made the first incision, Hawkeye whistled under his breath. "There's a lot of damage here, Trap."

"I'm not going to lose her, Hawk. Not again," Trapper retorted as he surveyed the damage. The bullet had done a good deal of damage, fragmenting upon entrance. Fervently he hunted for each fragment, carefully dropping each piece into the metal pan Hawkeye held for him; Trapper remembered the GI he'd lost due to an erratic fragment a few months back. _The same day I met Kate_. "Did you know?" Trapper asked, his hazel eyes serious over the surgical mask. The look in Hawkeye's blue eyes was all the answer Trapper needed.

"She wanted to tell you herself. She just didn't know how," Hawkeye commented quietly.

Trapper took as much time as he could during the surgery, to make sure that every fragment was removed. His stitches, usually hastily set, were neat and even. _No meatball surgery for Kate, _Trapper thought as he set the last stitch 90 minutes after he made the initial incision. He surveyed his work before Radar and Klinger came to transfer Kate to the post-op ward. "How long did you know?" he asked Hawkeye as he watched her being carried out of the OR.

Hawkeye shrugged slightly. "She just told me this morning," he replied. Heading for the scrub room, he continued, "If it's worth anything, I told her that she needed to tell you." Trapper nodded numbly as he followed Hawkeye into the scrub room and pulled off the bloodstained surgical gown and gloves. Standing at the sink, he methodically scrubbed his hands and arms, watching silently as Kate's blood swirled down the sink drain. "C'mon, let's get a bite to eat," Hawkeye coaxed.

"I want to stay here," Trapper replied as he dried his hands.

"Trap, you can get a quick bite and be back before she's awake," Hawkeye said. "I know the food's horrible, but you're not going to help her by not eating."

Trapper finally let his friend talk him into swinging through the mess tent, where Hawkeye made him sit with a full tray for almost an hour, although he couldn't bring himself to eat more than a few bites. Giving up, he passed the untouched food to Radar—who was well-known for his voracious appetite—before heading back to the post-op ward. Stepping through the doors, he glanced around. "Klinger, where's the POW?" he asked when he saw that Kate was the only new patient.

"You didn't hear? He died on the table," Klinger responded. "Our boys got him good." Leaning forward at the desk, he asked, "How did Kate's surgery go?"

Running his hands through his hair, Trapper sighed. "One bullet does a lot of damage, and she lost a lot of blood. But I'm sure I got all the fragments out and everything's patched up." Grabbing a chair, he headed for Kate's cot. "I'm going to wait here until she wakes up."

Klinger stood up. "Since you'll be here, do you mind keeping an eye on things so I can run grab some chow?"

Trapper nodded. "Just don't trip on your heels," he said, showing a hint of humor for the first time in a while. Hearing Klinger leave, he picked up Kate's slender hand and held it in both of his. He knew that, based on the extent of the surgery, she should be waking up soon. "Kate, I'm not sure if you can hear me," he said softly, keeping his voice low so the recovering GIs across the room couldn't hear. "I was coming to talk to you when the sniper started shooting. I wanted to apologize for what I said and did. It was a stupid argument, and we…I shouldn't have let it get to me like that." He leaned forward and brushed a kiss against her forehead. "I patched you up the best I could, sweetheart. Hopefully there won't be much for scarring, but I'll love you either way. Kate, when I realized no one knew where you were when the sniper started firing, I couldn't think of anything but finding you. When the chopper pilots said the sniper had hit someone, I ran faster than I'd ever run before." Shutting his eyes, Trapper rested his head against his hands, still holding Kate's hand in his.

"You're my hero."

**_TBC..._**

Three guesses as to who spoke at the end!


	9. Damages, part 2

A/N: Guess what? I still don't own M*A*S*H!

_Previously: "You're my hero."_

Trapper opened his eyes to see a beautiful sight: Kate's luminous green eyes were half open, watching him. He smiled as he reached a hand up to caress her face. "Hey," he said softly.

Kate smiled as well. "Hey yourself," she replied. "How long did the surgery last? How long was I out there?"

"The sniper had us pinned down for over an hour, and the surgery itself lasted an hour and a half. Do you know when you were hit?"

"I didn't even hear the first shot, just felt the pain," she said. "I could hear everything else after that: the gunfire, the shouting, the choppers." Her eyes drifted shut, and Trapper squeezed her hand. "Trapper…how bad was I hurt?"

"The bullet fragmented and did plenty of damage, Kate. I pulled fragments out of a lot of organs." Trapper swallowed hard and continued, "You lost a lot of blood out there. If you hadn't used your shirt as a tourniquet you probably would have bled out, given how long..." He couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence.

Kate shifted, wincing slightly. "Am I allowed to sit up yet?"

Trapper nodded. "Let me help, so you don't tear your stitches." Helping her sit up, he arranged the pillows so she could sit propped up, then he eased her back down. "Better?"

"Yes, thank you," she replied gratefully as she settled against the pillows. Sliding her free hand down her stomach, her eyes suddenly widened. "What about…Trapper, what about the baby?"

The fear and questioning in her eyes nearly broke Trapper's heart. "Kate..." he whispered. He saw anguish fill her eyes as they started glistening with tears.

"We lost it, didn't we?"

Trapper nodded. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart. A fragment had entered your womb and severed the spinal column. I saved the womb, but there wasn't anything I could do to save the baby." His voice trailed off as he remembered opening her womb to find the fragment that had pierced it…

"_Hawk, how far along is she?" Trapper asked after opening her up._

"_About 17 weeks, give or take. Why?"_

"_There's a fragment lodged in her uterus."_ _He glanced up, his hazel eyes grave over the surgical mask. "What are the chances it missed the baby?" Without waiting for an answer, Trapper carefully cut her womb open. One look confirmed the worst. _

"_Well?" Hawkeye asked, unable to see as Trapper skillfully yet cautiously worked his scalpel. _

_Trapper gently extracted the tiny form from Kate's body, cradling it in his capable hands. The fragment had ripped through the baby's spinal column. "He never had a chance," he said softly, tears pricking his eyes. Looking at Hawkeye, he saw the same look in his friend's blue eyes. _

"_Let me take care of him, Trap," Hawkeye said quietly. _

Kate's voice brought Trapper back to the present. "I'm so sorry we had that argument," she murmured, tears thickening her words. "If we hadn't, you'd have known about the baby sooner."

Trapper leaned forward and gently kissed her. "Kate, there's nothing we can do to change it. Please don't blame yourself for this; that won't help you heal."

"Maybe I can help your healing process a little," came Hawkeye's voice from the doorway. "Radar has been helping me with something. Kate, it's good to see you awake and patched up. Do you think you can handle a wheelchair ride?" She nodded, so Hawkeye went to fetch a chair.

"I can give you another dose of painkillers, if you want," Trapper suggested.

Kate agreed. "That might be a good idea." Within minutes Trapper and Hawkeye had Kate settled into a wheelchair, and after giving her another round of painkillers they were off. "Where are we going?" Kate asked, tugging the blanket Trapper had wrapped around her shoulders closer.

"We'll be there soon," Hawkeye promised.

Trapper was curious as to know where they were going as well. They took the path to one of the fields popular for picnics and a few other things, with Hawkeye leading them towards a large dogwood tree. Radar and Father Mulcahy stood waiting in the shade of the tree near a small pile of dirt. "Is that…" he asked Hawkeye in a low voice.

Hawkeye nodded. "I told you I'd take care of him," he said as they wheeled Kate in beside Father Mulcahy.

"Hawkeye, what's going on?" Kate asked.

As Radar carried a small wooden box over and sat it next to the hole he'd dug earlier, Hawkeye knelt next to Kate. "It's a funeral. I couldn't bear the thought of disposing of your baby with the rest of the surgery garbage," he said gently. Kate's eyes filled with tears, and she buried her face in her hands, sobbing quietly as Trapper turned away to get his emotions under control.

Father Mulcahy stepped forward and placed his hand on Kate's shoulder as her sobs subsided. "Did you want to name him?" he asked.

Kate looked up. "Him?"

Trapper turned back and knelt beside her. "Our son," he told her. "I had an idea of what we could name him." Leaning forward, he whispered in her ear, and she looked at him.

"Really?" When he nodded, Kate turned to Hawkeye. "Could I see him, first?" Hawkeye opened the coffin, carefully lifted out a small bundle, and handed it to Kate. She cradled the bundle, pulling the blanket back enough to reveal the tiny face. "Look, Trapper," she whispered. "Look at our son. Marko Francis McIntyre."

They kept the funeral short, to keep Kate from wearing herself out. Trapper kept his hand on her shoulder during Father Mulcahy's mini-sermon; partway through he felt Kate reach up and cover his hand with hers. The funeral ended with a prayer, then Trapper started wheeling Kate back towards the camp while Radar and Hawkeye filled the grave. Neither of them said a word until Kate was back in her bed in post-op. "How are you feeling?" Trapper asked once she was settled.

Kate sighed. "The drugs are doing their job." She yawned, and Trapper knew the stress of the day was catching up to her.

"Get some rest. I'll come check on you again later," Trapper advised as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. Kate's eyes were drifting closed, but she caught his hand and squeezed it. Leaning forward, he whispered in her ear, "I love you."

**_TBC..._**

Of course I wasn't going to kill Kate! That'd be cruel and heartless to Trapper, and I wouldn't do that to one of my favorite Army captains! I'm not sure how up and about they would have let someone be after surgery like that. I based it off of when I had similar surgery; the docs wanted me up and moving around as soon as I could.


	10. Recovering and News from Home

A/N: I own many things related to M*A*S*H, like the DVD box set and some of the books. As for M*A*S*H itself, I don't own it. :( Oh, and Beahawk, an issue we discussed briefly is taken care of in this chapter. Enjoy!

_Previously: Kate's eyes were drifting closed, but she caught his hand and squeezed it. Leaning forward, he whispered in her ear, "I love you."_

Henry had agreed to keep Kate at the 4077th while she healed, and as her energy and health improved she started taking light work as tolerated. It wasn't uncommon to see Kate sitting in a wheelchair at the bedside of a wounded GI providing comfort in any way she could. Trapper—as well as Hawkeye, Henry, Margaret, Radar, and Father Mulcahy—would check with her periodically to make sure she wasn't wearing herself out. Sometimes they had to order her back to bed, Trapper with the promise that he'd come play chess with her after his shift.

"So how are you handling everything?" Trapper asked Kate as they walked slowly, hand in hand, around the compound two weeks after the sniper attack.

"Now that I'm back in the nurses' quarters, some things are starting to get back to normal," she replied. Rubbing her side, she continued, "Emotionally…well, I'm dealing with everything."

Trapper let go of her hand and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Is there anything I can do to help?" he questioned.

Kate smiled at him. "You already are, Trapper," she said. "Your being here is helping me."

They strolled in silence. Finally Trapper spoke again. "You know, I've been thinking…"

"Well, that can be dangerous."

"Be quiet, you. I've been thinking about what's going to happen once the war is over." Leading her over to an uprooted tree at the edge of the compound, they sat on the trunk. "Look, when you were shot and during the surgery, the only thing I could think of was the fight we had, and that I didn't want to lose you again." Leaning over, he kissed her gently. "Come back to Boston with me, Kate. You said yourself that you loved the area. Come back with me, and we'll put the war behind us together."

"What if one of us gets the discharge before the other, or before the war is over?" Kate pondered, rubbing her side again.

Trapper shrugged. "Then we'll find each other stateside. What do you think?"

Kate leaned against him as he wrapped his arms around her carefully. "I think I love you, Trapper," she said before tilting her head back to kiss him. Moments later they came up for air. "I take that back…I know I love you," Kate said with a smile.

"I love you too," Trapper said, caressing her cheek. "Oh, I forgot to tell you what I got in the mail this morning." Noticing Kate's ivory skin was pale, he grew concerned. "Are you okay? You look a bit worn out."

Nodding, she admitted, "I am a bit tired. Maybe we should head back. I've probably been pushing myself a little too hard." As they stood, Trapper offered Kate his hand. "So what did you get in this mail call?"

"Some news from home…my divorce has been finalized. Louise gets the house."

"Really?" They started walking back to the Swamp. "Are you happy?"

Trapper considered the question. "I'm happy the whole thing is over, but I'm sorry that Becky and Kathy had to go through it."

Kate nodded as they walked past Father Mulcahy's tent; she lifted her hand in a wave towards the padre, who was out tending his garden. "Have you written them about us?" she asked. When Trapper shook his head, she pressed, "Are you going to?"

He sighed. "I'm not sure. I don't want them to think I'm trying to replace their mother with you. It's not that I don't want them to know you; I just don't want to, I don't know, overwhelm them. Daddy leaves, Mommy and Daddy get divorced, Daddy comes home with someone new." Rubbing his free hand over his face, Trapper smiled slightly. "I can't wait to see my girls again, when this hell is over. In the letter I got this morning were pictures of the girls. They've gotten so big."

"May I see them?" Kate asked as Trapper held open the door of the Swamp for her. He had shown her pictures of his daughters before, and she could see Trapper's features in them both, more so in Becky.

"Of course," he chuckled as he followed her inside. As Kate eased herself into Hawkeye's lounger Trapper searched for the envelope he had tossed on the excuse of a bedside table earlier. "Here they are," he said, pulling the photos out of the envelope he found. "Look how tall Kathy's gotten, and Becky too. My girls are growing up."

"Well what did you expect, for them to grow down?" Kate asked with a grin as she took the photos from Trapper. "Trapper, they're beautiful," she noted, absentmindedly rubbing her incision site.

Trapper noticed her movements. "What's the matter?"

"Hmm?"

He gestured. "You're rubbing. You've been rubbing all afternoon."

Kate glanced down at her side. "I have? I didn't even notice. It just itches like crazy!"

"Maybe it's time for the stitches to come out," Trapper mused. He motioned to his cot. "Come lay down over here. Let me take a look at you."

Hawkeye laughed as he came into the Swamp. "I didn't think you needed an excuse to look at her, Trap," he said as he made his way to the still. "Anyone for a drink?"

"I'm still not allowed, according to my doctors," Kate replied with a cheeky grin. "So, unless you can convince them otherwise…"

"Your doctors sound like very wise men," Hawkeye said. "You'd better listen to them. Right, Trap?"

"Of course, as long as we're not talking about Frank," Trapper replied as Kate stretched out on his cot. "Pull your shirt up, honey." Carefully he peeled the bandage off her side, revealing the stitches he'd placed. "These look ready to come out. Whaddya think, Hawk?"

Hawkeye leaned over to take a look, martini glass in hand. "I think they can come out." Handing the glass to Trapper, he looked closer at the slight redness. "Have you been scratching, Kate?"

She shifted, a sheepish look crossing her pretty face. "Apparently I've been rubbing them. Did I damage anything?"

"Of course not," Trapper cut in, shooting Hawkeye a look. "Where are my scissors?" Hawkeye passed Trapper the clippers after a bit of hunting, and Trapper slowly began removing the stitches. "Don't move," he warned as he snipped.

"Hey Trap, when are you leaving for Tokyo?" Hawkeye asked, sipping his martini.

"Tomorrow morning," Trapper replied. "I've got a list of what everyone wants: blue silk for Klinger, comic books for Radar, and a bottle of brandy for Henry. Anything you want to add?"

Hawkeye grinned. "A hot water bottle, size 32-28-34, and my discharge papers, please."

Trapper laughed. "I'll see what I can do. I'm still trying to figure out how to pack Kate in my bags."

Kate smiled, her eyes closed as Trapper worked. "It's just for three days, Trap. You'll survive just fine."

"If I have to," he replied with a dramatic sigh. Truth be told, Trapper was planning to purchase something very special for Kate sometime during his three days in Tokyo. The last stitch removed, he sat back. "I think I did okay with this," he mused. "The scarring should be minimal."

Kate sat up enough to see her stomach. "It looks okay to me. Can I give my surgeon a special thanks?" When Trapper smiled, she glanced at Hawkeye. "Excuse us," she said gravely before pulling Trapper into a kiss.

"Of course. I'll just enjoy the show," Hawkeye grinned. Spotting a nurse walking past, he added, "On second thought, have all the time you need."

As Hawk left the tent, Trapper and Kate enjoyed the privacy. Their kisses deepened as Kate's hands moved down Trapper's stomach. "Kate," Trapper whispered against her lips. "You're still recovering."

"Then play doctor, doctor," she replied, dropping kisses along Trapper's jaw. "You've had enough medical experience to know when I'm overexerting myself."

As much as he wanted to continue, Trapper pulled away. "Kate, I don't think you're ready just yet." When she tried to protest, he kissed her fiercely. "Trust me. I'm a doctor."

**_TBC..._**

How many of you can see Trapper saying "Trust me. I'm a doctor" in a situation like that? I enjoyed writing this chapter, and I hope you enjoyed reading it! By the way, what do you think Trapper's going to get for Kate in Tokyo?


	11. L'amour

A/N: Still don't own MASH. Wish I did. This is another chapter that shows why the story is rated M.

_Previously: When she tried to protest, he kissed her fiercely. "Trust me. I'm a doctor."_

When Hawkeye left the Swamp to give Margaret her physical one morning a few weeks later, Trapper poured himself a drink. He tried to hide the glass from Kate, who lounged in Hawkeye's lounge chair reading the latest copy of _Stars & Stripes_. He was unsuccessful. "Trapper, that doesn't look like something from the still."

"Huh? Oh, it's…uhh…" One look at Kate made Trapper realize that he was done for. "It's antacid. I got a sour stomach. Probably too much hooch."

Kate frowned. "You haven't touched the hooch in the past two week. Are you sure it's not something else?"

"Like what?"

"Like an ulcer."

Trapper sagged onto his bunk. "You think so?" When Kate nodded, he frowned. "I was hoping it wasn't that. But it fits. Probably a duodenal ulcer."

"That means you'll get a medical discharge," Kate said softly.

Hawkeye echoed Kate's sentiments later and ordered a set of x-rays, which confirmed the diagnosis. Kate and Hawkeye organized a going-away party, but Radar soon informed Trapper of the change in orders: antacids, planned diet, rest, and tranquilizers at the 4077th. Kate and Hawkeye kept him company in the post-op ward while he recovered during his three weeks of rest. Finally he was cleared to go back on surgical duty.

"It's been a hell of a past few months," Trapper said, relaxing on a blanket spread on the floor in the Swamp days later. He had surprised Kate with an indoor picnic in the Swamp, the first one they'd had in months.

Kate nodded, the movement of her head on his stomach making Trapper smile. "You can say that again. So how exactly did you pull this off?"

"Ah, a master cannot reveal his secrets." He reconsidered when Kate reached back and found the spot on his side that always made him squirm. "Okay, okay! Radar may or may not have influenced Henry to schedule Hot Lips and Frank for post-op duty tonight. And Hawkeye may or may not have helped me get all this arranged by cleaning the Swamp, finding a reason to not be here, and…" gesturing to the empty wine bottle nearby, "…supplied the wine."

"Would that reason be about five foot four, have big blue eyes, short blonde hair, and answer to the title of 'nurse'?"

"That'd be the reason," Trapper said,

Kate smiled. "I'll have to thank them for their part in this." Sipping the last of her wine, she set the glass down and added, "Of course, it won't be the same thanks I'm going to give you." Craning her head, she pulled Trapper into a kiss.

He responded, bringing his hand up to cup her face before pulling her completely into his lap and wrapping his arms around her. Feeling Kate angling her head, he deepened the kiss, using his tongue to caress hers. His hands wandered down her body, fondling her curves before tugging at the hem of her shirt.

Breaking the kiss, Kate whispered, "Impatient, aren't we." Raising her arms, she allowed Trapper to pull her shirt off. Easily she swiveled her body so she could straddle his lap. Making quick work of his shirt, Kate tossed it to the floor before reacquainting herself with his body, running her fingers over his chest with a feather-light touch. Leaning forward, she pressed a kiss against his neck before nibbling gently, taking care not to leave any marks. Trapper tilted his head back as she continued her gentle assault, his hands running over her torso. Her skin was silken under his fingers, and said fingers soon started working their magic on her brassiere, easily unhooking the clasps and tossing it aside. He buried his face in her firm breasts, kissing each of them in turn. Kate moaned softly as his tongue teased her nipples into hard buds.

"Like that?" he whispered. Grinning when another moan answered his question, Trapper continued pleasuring her as his hand slipped down to her pants, deftly getting them open. He could feel her fingers raking through his curly hair, and he brought his head back up to kiss her sweet red lips again.

"How about we move this to your cot?" Kate rasped. The lovers moved to Trapper's cot, shedding their pants in the process. Once again Kate straddled Trapper, pressing kisses against his skin as she lowered herself onto him. A moan of pleasure escaped them as he slid deep inside her. Kate rode him like a stallion, quickly bringing herself to the edge of an orgasm. Trapper enjoyed letting Kate take the reins, but soon he couldn't help himself; grabbing her hips, he held her tight and thrust deeply, driving her over the brink of ecstasy.

"Kate?" Trapper asked as they rested, spooning after their second round of lovemaking.

"Hmmm?" His breath tickled the fine hairs on her neck, making Kate giggle.

"Can you see yourself having kids?" This was the first time the topic had come up since the sniper attack.

Kate thought for a moment. "If you'd have asked me that before I came to Korea," she said slowly, "I'd probably have said no. I liked roaming with the wind, seeing what the world had to offer. But now…well, what about you? You've already got two beautiful little girls. Would you want more?"

Trapper exhaled a breath he didn't know he was holding. "I never really thought about it until you were shot." His hand drifted down to the still-noticeable scars on her abdomen. "When we lost our baby, I realized that I'd give anything to raise another little one…with you." He pressed a kiss on the tender skin of her shoulder. "So are you going to finish your thought?"

"Now…I can see myself settling down and having children."

"Maybe with me?"

He heard her smile. "Definitely with you."

**_TBC..._**

All together now...Awwww. Trapper's such a romantic devil!


	12. And the Joy All Comes Crashing Down

A/N: After checking the length of the last chapter and the length of this one, I decided to post them both today. Nothing has changed in the few minutes since I made the last disclaimer, but just in case...I still don't own MASH.

_Previously: He heard her smile. "Definitely with you."_

The mood in the OR was light, despite the deluge of wounded. Trapper, Hawkeye, and Father Mulcahy were trying to start a rousing session of 'Name That Tune', with little success. "C'mon, Kate, you oughta know this one," Trapper said, a gleam in his eye. He started whistling for Kate, who was working with Frank across the room, her back to Trapper.

Kate paused for a moment, which earned her a dirty look from Frank. "That's too familiar for me not to know."

"Sponge."

"Sponge." She dabbed at the area Frank was working in. "What the heck is it called?" Suddenly she shook her head, her green eyes sparkling. "Of course. It's the Wedding March."

Trapper glanced at Hawkeye and winked. "What do ya say we get dressed up and play that song, say a vow or two, and have a big party afterwards?" he asked, the picture of innocence.

Kate whirled around, her eyes locking on Trapper's as the room fell silent. "Are you serious?" she said breathlessly.

"I sure am. Let's get married."

All eyes were on Kate. The corner of her eyes crinkled as she smiled under her mask. "Yes. Yes! Let's get married!" Cheers filled the OR as they got back to work.

"Do you think this day can get better?" Henry asked.

Just then Radar walked in. "Colonel?"

"Yo."

"Do you know what I found in this morning's mail?"

"Ah, now that's a tough one. Hum a few bars, will you, Radar?" Henry joked.

"You're going home," Radar said, his voice joyful.

Henry's hands stilled. "I'm going home?"

"You got all your points. They're discharging you."

"Discharged?" the colonel echoed.

"Tokyo, San Francisco then home!"

"I'm going home," Henry repeated, looking at Hawkeye and Trapper. "Discharged. I'm going home!" The mood in the OR lifted even more with all the happy news.

Trapper found Kate after the final soldier was moved into post-op. "Hey beautiful," he said as he pulled her into his arms. "Want to come help us party with Henry one more time tomorrow?"

"Wish I could, but I'm on duty in post-op," she replied before kissing him. "Come find me later, okay? If you're still on your feet, that is."

The day of Henry's departure arrived, and everyone stood waiting for him to come out of his tent for the last time. The door opened and out stepped Henry, in the new suit Trapper, Hawkeye, and Radar had given him the night before. He stopped before his troops for a final farewell, moving down the line to address each one personally. "Kate," he said when he stopped in front of her, "congratulations on your engagement to Trapper. Try to keep him in line."

Kate smiled. "If it's possible, Henry. Take care of yourself."

With a glance at Trapper, Henry pulled Kate into a long kiss, something he repeated with Margaret before heading up to the chopper pad. The chopper that came in had a wounded GI; the soldier was taken to get prepped while Henry said a final farewell to the few who remained on the pad. They stood, waving as the chopper rose in the air and vanished beyond the horizon.

Frank spent the afternoon moving his belongings from the Swamp into the commanding officer's tent with Margaret's help; Trapper and Hawkeye 'helped' by giving Frank grief about not wasting a second moving into command. Ambulances brought wounded came in later that evening, and Kate was assisting Trapper and Hawkeye when Radar stumbled into the OR without a mask. "Radar, put a mask on!" Trapper ordered.

"If that's my discharge, give it to me straight. I can take it!" Hawkeye quipped.

Radar didn't smile; he looked utterly distraught. "I have a message." Holding up a telegram, his voice broke as he read, "Lieutenant Colonel…Henry Blake's plane…was shot down…over the Sea of Japan. It spun in…there were no survivors." He turned and trudged out of the OR as silence fell over the surgeons and nurses, silence broken only by soft weeping. Trapper looked at Hawkeye, then at Kate; her eyes welled with unshed tears. Someone dropped a clamp as they continued fixing the broken GIs.

**_TBC..._**

All recognized dialogue is from the season three finale, _Abyssina Henry_.


	13. The Reaction to the News

A/N: Trust me, I wish I owned MASH. And yes, I do realize that I misspelled _Abyssinia, Henry_ in the last chapter. My bad! See if you find any familiar bits and pieces in this chapter...

_Previously: Trapper looked at Hawkeye, then at Kate; her eyes welled with unshed tears. Someone dropped a clamp as they continued fixing the broken GIs._

The shock of Henry's death had left the entire camp in a fog. Somehow Trapper made it through the rest of the surgeries and his shift in post-op. His mind full, he wandered back to the Swamp, half expecting to see Kate waiting with a drink. Seeing only Hawkeye when he opened the door sank his mood even more. "I can't believe he's gone," Trapper said dully, sinking down onto his cot.

"Me neither," Hawkeye admitted as he handed his friend a drink. "Radar's probably taking it hardest of all. He looked up to Henry like a father."

"Think we should go see how he's doing?"

Hawkeye shrugged. "Maybe we should give him some time first. Hell, Trap, I don't know." He took a small sip of his martini, then gulped the whole glass down before pouring himself another. "What about Kate? How's she taking it?"

"I haven't seen her since she left the OR; I figured she'd be in here." Trapper ran a hand over his face, fatigue setting in. Draining the drink, he pulled himself off the cot and headed for the door. "I'm gonna go see how Radar's doing."

"I'll come with," Hawkeye replied as he got up as well. They checked where they thought Radar would be first: Henry's office, his own office, with his animals, the mess tent, even the nurses' quarters. There was no sign of the diminutive corporal. "Maybe he's in the O Club," Hawkeye suggested.

Radar wasn't the only person sitting at the bar in the officer's club; Kate sat beside him, an arm around his shoulders as the young man cried into his Grape Nehi. Trapper could hear Kate murmuring to the young man as he and Hawkeye entered the building and sat on either side of the two. "How's he doing?" Trapper asked Kate in a low voice.

"I think he could use something stiffer. He's real tore up," Kate replied softly. She sipped her drink. "Or else something to laugh at."

"Something to laugh at…Hawk, can I talk to you for a second?" Trapper pulled Hawkeye aside. "Go tell Klinger to spread the word: we're going to celebrate Henry's life in here. Make sure he doesn't say anything on the PA, though." As the chief surgeon left the O Club on his mission, Trapper turned to see Radar had buried his face against Kate's shoulder, his short frame shaking as he sobbed. Trapper eased his lanky frame onto the stool next to the young corporal, unable to think of anything to say. He was still searching for words when Hawkeye came back into the building; soon enlisted men and officers began pouring into the officer's club. Trapper motioned to Igor. "Listen, don't charge for the drinks tonight. We'll all chip in later to restock."

Hawkeye hopped up onto the bar. "All right, we all know that it's been a helluva day. But let's not mourn Henry's passing. Let's celebrate his life. I want to hear your favorite memories of Lt. Col. Henry Blake. I'll start." After a moment's thought, he continued, "Who remembers when Henry's 100 year old solid oak desk that he was so proud of got traded for medical supplies…without his knowledge?" That was met with chuckles. "Or his lectures, including his famous sex lecture with Figures A and B? Trap, do you remember your question?"

Trapper grinned. "Let's see… 'What happens in the event that figure 'A' is attracted to figure 'B' and wants to get married. But figure 'A' is already married to, say, figure 'C' and figure 'B' is engaged to figure 'D' but figure 'A' can't keep his hands off of figure 'B' because she's got such a great figure.' Something along the lines of that." He heard a watery chuckle from Radar as the young corporal straightened. He caught Kate's eye and winked.

"Anybody else have a story to share?" Hawkeye asked.

"I remember one of my many attempts to get out of here," Klinger said as he ordered a drink from Igor. "I made up a fake letter from my mom about Pops being in a coma and dying. Henry pulls out this file full of other ailments I'd tried: father dying…mother dying…mother and father dying…mother, father, and older sister dying…mother dying and older sister pregnant…older sister dying and mother pregnant…younger sister pregnant and older sister dying…and what he called 'an oldie but a goodie', half the family dying, the other half pregnant." Laughter filled the air; everyone knew Klinger would try anything to get out of the army.

"Remember how Colonel Flagg got Henry all confused, more than once?" someone called.

Someone else chimed in, "Remember when Henry and Trapper were chasing that dog through the camp, trying to get it tested for rabies after it bit Radar, and then it turned around and chased them?"

"Thanks for reminding me," Trapper grumbled as Kate laughed.

"How about when he brought that little cheerleader back from Tokyo, what was her name?"

"Nancy Sue," Hawkeye called.

"Yeah, her."

"Or when we had to convince Henry to come to the picnic party we had for the orphanage," Hawkeye suggested. "The hula girls, the water races, tug-of-war, the music…"

Trapper grinned. "The puppet show," he said, more to himself. He and Kate had supplied the movements and voices for the puppets; Father Mulcahy caught them kissing behind the partition that hid them from view of the children.

"What about the time he signed the discharge order for 'Private Charles Lamb'?" Kate added, the sparkle entering her eyes again. "And then he got drunk on the wine at the celebration."

"Don't forget about his dismal map reading skills," Trapper said. "Remember the kid running into the minefield? And Henry was leading me through it with a WWII map."

"I've got stories you wouldn't believe," came a quiet voice. The eyes turned to Radar, who continued. "Remember when there were all those thefts? And I had to help Henry search everywhere? He got sprayed in the shower tent…"

Hawkeye laughed. "And covered with soot in the Swamp."

The stories about Henry flew, and everyone—Radar included—was laughing about memories of the late commanding officer. Someone started up the jukebox and soon people were dancing; Kate pulled Radar onto the dance floor, trying to cheer him up some more.

Trapper waited for the song to end before tapping Radar on the shoulder. "Can I cut in?" Radar went to find Hawkeye as Trapper and Kate wrapped their arms around each other and swayed to the music. "How are you holding up?" he asked.

Kate sighed. "I can't blame Radar for how he feels. Henry is…was the closest thing to a father that I had." They continued dancing to the smooth tones of Nat King Cole. "What a turnaround this day has been," she said softly.

"Tell me about it," Trapper replied, pulling her even closer. "I think I know how we could cheer each other up."

"Oh, Trap, not right now. Maybe later."

"Not that," he chuckled. Kate's eyes grew large as she realized what he meant. "Let's check and see what kind of paperwork Radar has in the office." Seeing Radar nearby dancing with Kellye, Trapper caught the corporal's eye.

Radar nodded. "They're in the second drawer in the file cabinet closest to the door." Kate grinned and winked at Radar as Trapper led her out of the O Club. They crossed the camp and slipped through the camp office into the commander's office.

"Let's see. He said first file cabinet, second drawer," Trapper muttered, opening the appropriate drawer. "Mmhmm…uh huh…here it is." Pulling out a folder, he carried it to the desk. "Well, it looks like we'll have to coerce Frank into signing it somehow, but we can get most of it filled out now."

Kate reached for a pen. "Well by all means, let's get this show on the road." As Kate—who had the neater writing of the two—filled in the correct answers, Frank and Margaret entered the office.

"What are you two doing in here?" Frank demanded.

"Just a little paperwork, Frank," Trapper said drily.

Margaret crossed her arms. "Lieutenant, what are you filling out?" she asked harshly.

Kate didn't even look up. "A couple simple forms so Trapper and I can get married, Major."

"Married?" Margaret's expression softened slightly.

"Yeah, Margaret, married. Did you miss the proposal in the OR a few days ago?" Trapper said sarcastically.

She stepped forward. "Let me see those." Before Kate could stop her, Margaret snatched the papers away and looked them over. "These look to be in order. Frank, you need to sign here." Trapper and Kate looked at each other, then shrugged.

"But Margaret…" Frank said, the whining tone entering his voice. She gave him a look, and Frank sighed before pulling a pen from his pocket and scrawling his signature across the bottom of the page. Margaret pulled him out of the office as Kate began to chuckle softly.

"Who'd have thought it would be as easy as that?" she said, reaching for the papers to finish filling in the boxes. "So how are we going to pull this off?"

Trapper stroked his chin. "I say the sooner the better, sweetheart. We'll talk to Father Mulcahy in the morning, how does that sound?"

Kate smiled just as Klinger poked his head into the office. "There you two are. Majors Burns and Houlihan just told me to announce that there will be a formal memorial service for Colonel Blake in the mess tent, starting in 30 minutes. They want everyone in their Class A uniforms, no exceptions," the corporal said.

"Trust those two to make an informal memorial formal," Trapper said with disdain as Klinger went searching for more people to tell.

"You should expect it from them, though," Kate interjected gently. "You need to sign here."

Trapper took the pen and signed his name, under which Kate signed hers with a flourish. "We might as well get ready," he said grimly. Trapper didn't wear his dress uniform if he didn't have to, but for the memory of Henry, he'd don the outfit. "Want to meet me at the Swamp when you're ready?"

Kate got up from the chair. "Of course," she replied, folding the forms and tucking them in the pocket of Trapper's robe. "Don't lose those."

Twenty minutes later Kate knocked on the door of the Swamp. "Are you ready?"

Trapper set his hat on his head and shrugged. "As ready as I'll ever be." Pushing the door open, he stopped when he saw Kate. "How do you manage to look good in everything?" The Class A uniform hugged Kate's trim curves in all the right places, just as it had the first time he saw her.

She smiled as he offered his arm; together they walked to the mess tent, where they were stopped by Klinger. "Now that's a fancy number," Kate mentioned, taking in Klinger's pink evening gown. "But I seem to remember that it was Class A's, no exceptions." Trapper expected to see a guilty look cross the corporal's face; instead he looked as if he was bursting with a secret.

"Look at me, Lieutenant," Klinger said wryly. "I'm a walking exception to the Army. Besides, this is—was Colonel Blake's favorite." Leading them away from the mess tent, he continued, "Can I get both your opinions on something?"

**_TBC..._**

Now let's see...there are bits from the following episodes: _Mad Dogs and Servicement; I Hate a Mystery; Henry in Love; To Market, To Market; Dear Dad; Kim; Mail Call; Private Charles Lamb; _and _Bulletin Board. _This chapter was a bit of a take-off on the reel of Henry clips that is the kicker of _Abyssinia, Henry _reruns. I always wondered how the camp coped after the news came. The next few chapters will cover the time between _Abyssinia, Henry _and _Welcome to Korea._


	14. A Major Idea

A/N: I own two birds named Hawkeye and Trapper, a birdcage called The Swamp, and a kitten named Radar. That's the closest I'll get to owning the characters or MASH itself. A special thanks to Corka for letting me borrow a tiny bit from one of her works for this chapter.

_Previously: _"_Look at me, Lieutenant," Klinger said wryly. "I'm a walking exception to the Army. Besides, this is—was Colonel Blake's favorite." Leading them away from the mess tent, he continued, "Can I get both your opinions on something?"_

"So what do you think?" Klinger asked them twenty minutes later.

Trapper groaned. "Klinger, I think you've just given us the longest explanation of nothing that I've ever heard. And…" he glanced at his watch, "we're now late for the memorial. Shall we?"

"Hey, I'm sorry guy," the corporal apologized as they started walking to the mess tent. "I was only acting on orders."

Kate's stride slowed. "Orders?" she echoed suspiciously. "From whom?"

Klinger trotted ahead of them and opened the door to the mess. "Wait and see," he said, ushering them inside.

The mess tent had been decorated with white toilet paper streamers, and almost the entire camp was waiting inside. "What's going on?" Kate asked, her eyes wide with surprise. "Trapper?"

The curly haired captain looked around, and something clicked. "I think we've had our wedding planned for us," he said as everyone started clapping.

Hawkeye stepped forward. "I wish I could say it was my idea, and believe me I had a hand in getting it all together, but this was a Major idea, if you get my drift."

Kate started laughing as Hawkeye led the two up to Father Mulcahy. "You can't be serious…really?"

"Damn straight. Oh, sorry Father, _darn _straight. I hope you two don't mind that I've appointed myself Best Man, and Hot Lips has claimed the position of Maid of Honor."

"That's Major Houlihan to you, Pierce," Margaret said, handing Kate a small bunch of flowers. "Here, Lieutenant, the nurses picked these for you."

"Thank you, Major," Kate said softly, tears beginning to form in her eyes. "Thank you for everything."

"Even for getting me into this blasted uniform," Trapper muttered with a grin.

Father Mulcahy cleared his throat. "Are we ready to begin?" he asked.

Trapper nodded. "Absolutely, Father." He didn't want to wait any longer to make Kate his wife.

Kate flashed her beautiful smile. "Yes, Father."

"We are gathered here today—well, tonight—to join together this man and this woman in the bonds of holy matrimony," Father Mulcahy said. "Anyone who has seen these two together can see that they are meant for each other. They have gained a respect for each other that passes any other feeling: love. And with that ever-lasting respect and love, comes the supporting of each other. These two have been through a great deal together, and have seemed to be the strength for the other for quite a while." He turned to the man and woman in front of him. "Please join hands." Trapper and Kate obliged. "Do you, John Francis Xavier McIntyre, take this woman, Katarina Shebari Nadja Boswell, to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, from this day forward, as long as you both shall live?"

Trapper smiled. "I do," he said, looking into Kate's sparkling green eyes.

Hawkeye leaned towards Radar. "I think they've cornered the market on long names," he whispered, causing the young corporal to snicker.

Father Mulcahy turned to Kate. "And do you, Katarina Shebari Nadja Boswell, take this man, John Francis Xavier McIntyre, to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, from this day forward, as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," she murmured as Trapper rubbed his thumb in a circle over the back of her hand.

"I don't suppose you have rings?"

"We've got them," Hawkeye announced as he and Margaret pulled ring boxes out of their pockets. "I accidently found them in your footlocker when I went searching for them."

Kate whispered, "When did you get rings?"

"When I was in Tokyo last month," Trapper whispered back. He took the ring Hawkeye handed to him.

The padre smiled. "Repeat after me: 'With this ring, I thee wed."

"With this ring, I thee wed," Trapper said, sliding the classic cut diamond ring onto Kate's slender finger.

Margaret handed Kate the band for Trapper as Father Mulcahy said, "Your turn, Kate: 'With this ring, I thee wed."

"With this ring, I thee wed," Kate echoed as she slid the solid gold band into place.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. May you always sing in harmony together." Father Mulcahy smiled at the two. "I don't think I need to tell you what to do, Trapper." He was proven correct as Trapper pulled his new wife close and kissed her, tenderly yet with passion. Their fellow campmates cheered when the kiss ended well after the two minute mark.

Hawkeye hopped up on a chair. "How about we move this party back to the O Club?" His words were met with more cheers.

Trapper and Kate didn't seem to notice as the mess tent cleared. Finally the sound of someone clearing his throat got their attention. "Should I bring the O Club here?" Hawkeye asked.

"Go away, Hawk," Trapper replied before kissing Kate again. "We'll be there soon enough."

"Then I'll get cracking on the other surprise of the night. But if you're not in the O Club when I'm done I'll have to drag you there." When that didn't get a rise out of the newlyweds, Hawkeye shrugged and went on his way.

After many long minutes Trapper and Kate came up for air. "Did he say something about another surprise?" Kate whispered.

"Who cares, Mrs. McIntyre?" Trapper replied as he speckled her face and neck with kisses.

Kate giggled. "Mrs. McIntyre…I like the sound of that." Holding up her hand, she examined her new ring, a pretty little gold band with a single small diamond setting. "So you've had these rings for a month, hmm?"

"I checked every blasted store in Tokyo to find the right one for you," he admitted.

His raven haired bride rested her head against his chest. "I can't believe they got this all planned in a half hour."

Trapper chuckled. "Or that Hot Lips was in charge of it. I could see Hawkeye pulling this kind of thing off for us, but not the major." Looking around, he realized the mess tent was empty. "Think we should make our way over to the O Club?"

"Slowly." They took their time strolling hand in hand to the O Club. Giggling was heard from the VIP tent; Trapper passed it off as someone canoodling with a nurse. As they got closer to the officer's club, Kate squeezed Trapper's hand. "I don't want to share you just yet." Trapper pulled her into the shadows of the building and kissed her fiercely.

"I love you, Kate," he whispered when they broke apart.

Kate smiled. "I love you too, Trapper," she murmured before pulling him into another kiss.

Hawkeye found them moments later. "There you two are. Everyone's waiting."

"Aw, Hawk, do we have to?" Kate whined jokingly as Trapper nuzzled her neck.

"Yes, kids," he replied as he pulled them forward. "A few hours, and then you can have each other for the night."

Trapper grinned. "If you promise."

"I promise," Hawkeye grinned back. "Now let me go have a little fun." He bounded into the O Club, and soon Trapper and Kate could hear his boisterous voice. "If I could have your attention, ladies and germs. The missing officers have been located by a nice MP who kindly brought them back to face the music. So here they are, fresh off the market, Dr. and Mrs. Trapper John F. X. McIntyre!" Trapper and Kate were ushered into the O Club with thunderous clapping and cheers. "Someone fire up the jukebox so they can have their first dance."

Trapper grinned. "Give me a quarter, I know the song I want." Someone flipped him a quarter, and he slipped it into the jukebox and punched a couple buttons. The smooth sound of Frank Sinatra crooning 'I've Got You Under My Skin' poured out as Trapper twirled Kate into their first dance as husband and wife.

The next few hours were spent dancing, talking, eating the cake that Radar had convinced Igor to whip up, and drinking to health and the memory of Henry Blake. Finally Trapper interrupted Hawkeye, who was dancing with Kate. "Can you make it so we can slip out of here and find a private supply tent?"

"If Kate doesn't mind, then let's go," Hawkeye cracked. "But why hide in supply when you've got the VIP tent at your disposal?" He laughed at his friend's surprised expression. "Do you think we'd make you guys share a tent with someone else? Go on, just take her and slip out the door."

"That's easier said than done," Trapper muttered as Hawkeye hopped up onto a chair to get everyone's attention. Stealthily he and Kate slipped out of the O Club and hurried towards the VIP tent. As soon as the door was latched he pulled Kate into his arms again. "Finally, we're alone," he said before kissing her thoroughly.

Hours later they lay in bed, their uniforms tossed over the desk and chair. "Seems appropriate that we're back here," Kate commented as Trapper drew lazy patterns on her skin. He was sprawled on his back, and she was cuddled against his side. "This is where it all started."

Trapper smiled. "For you, maybe." Pressing a kiss to the top of her head, he continued, "For me, it started when I first saw you in Henry's office. I didn't think you could look more beautiful then that day, but I was proven wrong tonight."

"You look pretty dashing in your Class A's as well, mister," Kate chuckled. Stretching her arm across Trapper's midsection, she smiled. "Did I ever tell you what Shebari means in Romanian?"

Her new husband shook his head. "You just said it could wait for another time."

"It means 'bride'. Fitting, huh?" She yawned, the events of the day finally catching up to her. "Now to get home."

**_TBC..._**

Wow...when Margaret gets an idea into her head, she goes all out! And of course Hawkeye would 'accidentally' find the rings when he goes looking for them. Congratulations to Trapper and Kate McIntyre!


	15. Trapper Cuts Loose

A/N: Nope, still don't own MASH. I gave Hawk a few extra days of R&R...I think he'd appreciate it! This is a short chapter, but it sets some wheels in motion.

_Previously: She yawned, the events of the day finally catching up to her. "Now to get out of here."_

"How long is Hawkeye going to be in Tokyo?" Kate asked one morning almost a week later. She was lounging in Hawkeye's chair in the Swamp, flipping through an old magazine of Trapper's. Hawkeye had left for R&R two day before, and Trapper and Kate had taken advantage of having the Swamp all to themselves.

Trapper thought for a moment. "Five more days. He got a seven day pass." He was trying to write another letter to his girls, but kept getting sidetracked by watching his wife. Even clothed in the typical casual Army wear, lounging in an easy chair, sipping from a martini glass, she was beautiful. Her long black hair hung freely down her back, a few strands spilling over her shoulders.

Just then Radar knocked on the door of the Swamp. "Mail call, Trapper. Sorry Kate, nothing for you," he said as he handed a couple envelopes to Trapper.

Kate smiled. "I never expect anything. Say, how's that new little rabbit doing? Have you named it yet?"

Radar smiled back. "She's doing good. I was thinking of naming her Muffin."

"Fluffy, Muffin, and Bongo. You've got a nice little trio there," Kate replied. Trapper suddenly let out a whoop, startling both Kate and Radar. "What the…"

"I'm going home!" Trapper exclaimed, waving a letter. "These are my discharge papers! I fly out in five days…I'm going home!" Jumping up, he grabbed Radar and hugged him, then picked Kate up out of her chair and swung her around. "You sure you don't have Kate's discharge papers too, Radar?" he asked as he hugged his wife.

Radar shook his head. "No sir, just yours." As he headed towards the door he added, "I'll try to get ahold of Hawkeye for you."

Trapper sat down on his cot, still holding Kate. "I'm going home," he repeated, excitement shining in his eyes. The excitement faded when he added, "But you're not."

Kate shrugged. "Maybe this'll work out for the best," she replied, a quaver of emotion in her voice. "You can go home, get things settled with the girls, find a place for us to live, and get back into the swing of things." Kissing him gently, she joked, "Just don't get too used to the bachelor life again!"

"I wouldn't dream of it," Trapper growled playfully. "I think this calls for a celebration. Let's get drunk."

"I can have a few, but I've got post-op duty tonight," Kate said as she got up so Trapper could get to the still. She watched as he poured a healthy amount of the hooch into their glasses. "You're going to get tanked, aren't you?"

Trapper grinned. "That's the plan."

Kate discovered just how drunk Trapper was getting when Radar came to find her in post-op that evening. "You might want to see this, Kate," he said as he gestured to the door.

"What am I looking at, Radar?" she asked, hearing a commotion in the mess tent. Just then the door was pushed open and out stumbled a buck-naked Trapper amidst claps and whistles from inside the mess. "Oh jeez. Radar, can you get him back to the Swamp? Frank will have my hide if I leave post-op before my shift is up." Radar agreed, and when Kate got back to the Swamp after her shift Trapper was mercifully still there and had pulled his boxers back on. "Enjoy your jaunt?" she asked her husband, dropping tiredly into the lounge chair.

"Damn straight, sweetheart," he said thickly. "Did you enjoy the view?" Without waiting for an answer, he got up and lowered the shades in the Swamp, fumbling slightly with the cords. "Come to bed, honey. We'll drink and get out of uniform."

Kate couldn't help but laugh as Trapper began tugging at her clothes. "You're already out of uniform, Trap. Can you promise to keep your clothes on when we're not alone?"

"I promise."

**_TBC..._**

I had to include the bit about Trapper running through the mess tent naked!


	16. A Tearful Farewell, and a Hearty Welcome

A/N: I don't own MASH. *sigh*

_Previously: Kate couldn't help but laugh as Trapper began tugging at her clothes. "You're already out of uniform, Trap. Can you promise to keep your clothes on when we're not alone?"_

_"I promise."_

After his drinking binge left him drunk for two days, he and Kate made good use of their remaining time. Kate, Klinger, and Radar planned a going-home party for Trapper; Radar tried to get ahold of Hawkeye to no avail.

Trapper awoke early the morning of his departure. Carefully so to not wake Kate, he eased out of bed and pulled on his robe. Pouring himself a drink from the still, he settled into Hawkeye's lounge chair and watched Kate sleep. Quietly he sat, sipping his drink as he watched the sun rise. An erratic beam of sunlight filtered through a crack in the shades, hitting Kate's flawless face. She stirred, her luminous eyes slowly opening. "Good morning, beautiful," Trapper said softly.

"Good morning," she echoed with a yawn. "How long have you been up?"

"Five minutes or so." Looking around, he sighed. "As much as I hate this place, I'm going to miss it."

Kate stretched. "Are you packed?" she asked.

"I've just got the essentials left to pack," he replied.

She lifted the blanket. "Then come back to bed." Trapper was happy to oblige. A couple hours later he was packed and changed into his Class A uniform. A jeep was on its way to take him to Kimpo, where he'd catch a plane to Okinawa, stop at Honolulu, then San Francisco, then on to Boston.

As they waited for the Jeep, Trapper wrapped his arms around his wife. "I'm going to miss you, sweetheart," he said softly.

Kate blinked back tears. "It's going to be hell here without you," she murmured, turning into his embrace. They clung to each other as the jeep came into view.

"Do me a favor?" he asked. When she nodded, he said, "Give this to Hawkeye when he gets back," before kissing her firmly.

The jeep pulled up and the driver honked. "Come on, buddy, we're on a schedule," he said impatiently.

Trapper tossed his bags in the back, then turned back to Kate. "C'mere," he said, pulling her into a passionate kiss. The driver tapped his fingers as Trapper and Kate said their final goodbye. Finally they broke apart. "I love you, honey."

Kate smiled. "I love you too," she replied as Trapper climbed into the jeep. "Write me." Trapper nodded and blew her a kiss as the driver hit the gas. Kate watched the jeep disappear around the bend, sending a silent prayer to keep her husband safe.

Before long Frank called the camp into roll call. Radar approached Kate while Frank and Margaret conferred over something undoubtedly boring. "I'm supposed to go pick up the new surgeon soon," he said. "Do you want to come with? I don't think those two would mind."

"I probably should get my things moved back to the nurses' quarters," Kate responded, wiping a fresh tear from her eye.

Radar nodded. "I'm going to miss him too," the young corporal admitted. "Hawkeye's due back soon. As a matter of fact, I think that's him." He pointed to a Korean rickshaw bringing the raven haired surgeon back to the camp. They watched as Hawkeye exchanged a few words with Frank before heading for the showers. "We better tell him," Radar figured as they headed for the showers after him. "Welcome back, Hawkeye."

Hawkeye stood fully clothed under the spray of the shower. "Softly, Radar. Talk in small letters. I have the Mount Rushmore of hangovers. Six aspirin companies are bidding for my head. Where's Trap?"

"I tried to get ahold of you. He got his discharge papers," Radar replied.

The water spray stopped. "He's gone?" Hawkeye asked in disbelief.

"Yes sir. When he got his papers, he got drunk for two days and then he ran naked through the mess tent with no clothes on."

"He asked me to give you something," Kate said as she stepped forward and firmly kissed Hawkeye squarely on the lips. "Don't expect any more of that from me, though."

"When did he leave?" Hawkeye demanded.

Radar glanced at his watch. "Not too long ago. He might still be at Kimpo."

After kissing the surprised corporal, Hawkeye surged out of the shower tent, followed by Kate and a muttering Radar. As he barreled towards the commander's office, Kate sidetracked to the Swamp to gather her things and move completely back into the nurses' quarters. Dropping off the last load of her gear, she came out of the tent in time to see Radar and Hawkeye in a jeep heading for Kimpo.

After what seemed like hours the jeep came back. Kate glanced out the window of the nurses' quarters to see the new surgeon stumble out of the jeep and say something to Margaret and Frank. The roaring laughter of the two surgeons and the corporal floated through the air as Kate stepped out of the tent to watch as they made their way to the Swamp. Shaking her head she followed; knocking on the door, she stepped inside when Hawkeye heralded her in.

"Kate! Come in, help us pour drinks," he said with a laugh. Gesturing to the lanky man sprawled on Trapper's—now his—cot, Hawkeye said, "This is BJ Hunnicutt, a surgeon of the captain persuasion. BJ, this is Kate McIntyre, new wife of the departed Trapper, who I missed by ten minutes. Ten lousy minutes! Kate is a nurse of the lieutenant persuasion, and a damn fine one."

BJ offered his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Kate," he said, his words still slightly slurred.

Kate shook his hand before pouring a round of hooch. "What exactly did you say to Frank when you came? Your laughter could be heard up at the front," she said with a grin.

Hawkeye roared with laughter again as BJ took the offered glass. "I said…I said…what the hell did I say? Oh yeah…what say ya, Ferret Face!" Raising his glass, he continued, "Let's make a toast. To Ferret Face!"

"To Hot Lips," Hawkeye said, "and Henry Blake."

Kate raised her glass. "To Trapper getting out of this place." Amidst cheers, they drank the afternoon away.

**_TBC..._**

Trapper's gone home. Who wants to guess how long Kate will be stuck in Korea? Until the war ends, or will she get out sooner? Any quotes you recognize is from the season four opener, _Welcome to Korea. _


	17. Back Home in Boston

A/N: A small chapter that establishes that Trapper doesn't meet the same fate as Henry. I still don't own MASH.

_Previously: Kate raised her glass. "To Trapper getting out of this place." Amidst cheers, they drank the afternoon away._

_Knock knock! _Trapper stood on the step of what used to be his house and waited as the taxi drove off. Finally he heard the sound of someone undoing the locks. When the door swung open, he managed a half-smile. "Hello, Louise."

Louise looked up at him, her icy blue eyes narrow. "John. What do you want?"

Trapper sighed. "I came to get my stuff, and I was hoping to see the girls." Peering past her, he continued, "I suppose they're in school, though, huh?"

A curt nod answered his question. "I packed all your things up and loaded them in your car." Holding out the keys, she stilled when she saw the ring on his hand. "That's not your wedding ring. You sure didn't waste any time. Is she Korean, or one of those hussies you cheated on me with?"

Digging in his pocket, Trapper fished out the ring he wore during his marriage to Louise, reached through the door, and set it on the table just inside the entry. "For your information, Kate didn't come to the 4077th until two months after you filed for divorce. And we didn't get married until two months after the divorce was finalized. She's a good person, Louise, and she's great with the kids at the orphanage." He accepted the keys. "Look, I didn't come here to fight; we've done enough of that. Can't we at least be civil, for the girls' sake?"

"For the girls' sake," Louise agreed after a moment's hesitation. As Trapper turned to leave, she added, "They'd like to hear from you. Why don't you call them tonight?"

Trapper glanced at his former wife. "Thank you."

After stopping at the hospital to talk to his former—and hopefully current—boss, Trapper scoured the city for a decent apartment to rent, something that would be sufficient until Kate got her discharge papers and they could look for a house of their own. Finally he found a nice two bedroom apartment near Boston General and close to a kid-friendly park. It didn't take much work to get his belongings into the apartment. Luck was on his side: the phone line was still hooked up. Glancing at his watch, he saw that it was 1 in the morning in Korea; too early to call Kate. He knew she would want to hear from him, especially after what happened to Henry. Exhaustion hit him like a sledgehammer, and he pulled a blanket from one of the boxes Louise had packed and crashed in a corner.

"Hey, Radar!" Trapper exclaimed into the phone late that evening.

Radar's voice was excited. "Trapper! Holy cow, it's good to hear from you! Hang on, I'll go get Kate."

Trapper heard muted sounds through the line before Kate's voice came over the line. "Trapper! I'm so glad you called!"

"Hey, sweetheart, how are you holding up?" He could picture Kate pressing the phone tightly to her ear as if to hold him close. It was the same thing he was doing.

"It'd be better if I was with you," she replied. "We're due to get a new CO soon, and not soon enough." Trapper heard voices in the background, followed by Kate snapping, "In your ear, Frank." She came back on the line. "So how did your girls take the news?"

Trapper grinned. "Better than their mother. They're excited to meet you. Wish I could tell them when you'll be coming home."

"Me too, honey." She lowered her voice. "Hawkeye came back not long after your jeep left for Kimpo. He chased you there, and apparently missed you by ten minutes."

"Did you give him my message?"

She laughed. "I did, and told him not to expect any others from me. How's Boston?"

Trapper could hear the longing in her voice. "It's beautiful. I found an apartment that'll suffice until you get home and we can go house-hunting. But it'd be even better if you were here too. What's the new surgeon like?"

"He's nice. A family guy named BJ Hunnicutt from a city near San Francisco. He's got a little girl named Erin; cute little thing. It's kind of hard to know that he's sleeping in your cot, but…" A muffled voice said something in the background. "Radar says we've got to cut this short." She sighed. "It's so good to hear your voice, Trapper."

"Yours too, sweetheart. I love you so much, Kate. Tell me everything you can in your next letter, okay?"

"I will. I love you, too-"

"Kate? Kate! The damn connection got cut," Trapper muttered as he hung up the phone. He considered pouring himself a drink, but in the end decided to get his internal clock back on Boston time.

**_TBC..._**

Am I the only one glad that Kate doesn't have to worry about Trapper not making it home?


	18. Watch Your Step, Hawkeye

A/N: Thanks for all the great reviews I've gotten so far! You guys are awesome! Funny thing...I had a dream about MASH a couple nights ago. Sure wish I owned MASH. Don't get confused about the italicized "previously" bit and the start of this chapter. I had to go and start it with a letter, lol. Keep that in mind for the next chapter, as well. And yes, I realize I switched from writing about Trapper to writing about Kate. You'll understand why soon...

_Previously: "Kate? Kate! The damn connection got cut," Trapper muttered as he hung up the phone. He considered pouring himself a drink, but in the end decided to get his internal clock back on Boston time._

…_I'm back in the swing of things at the hospital. It's nice not having to worry about getting shelled during surgery. Not having to run out of blood or supplies. I sure don't miss doing meatball surgery. Want me to look into getting you a nursing position here? I can talk to my supervisor about it. Just say the word, sweetheart._

_This is my week to have the girls. Louise and I alternate having them each week. Tonight they're making cookies, and I've been expressly forbidden to help. I'll send you some with this letter. Tomorrow we're going to the park after school. They keep asking if I have pictures of you. Wish I did, sweetheart, although I can picture you just fine in my head. _

_I can't wait for you to get home. I want to show you off to my coworkers, hold you in my arms again, try for another baby. I love you, Kate. Love, your husband, Trapper._

Kate smiled as she folded the letter and slid it back into the envelope. Trapper had been home for a little over two months now. Fishing a cookie out of the box on her lap, she took a bite. "Maybe Trapper should have helped them a bit," she mused as she got up and headed out of the nurses' quarters. Heading for the Swamp, Kate watched some of the enlisted men playing football in the compound before knocking on the door.

BJ grinned as she came inside and sat on the edge of Hawkeye's cot. "Did you get cookies, too?" he asked, gesturing to the box in Kate's hands.

Kate nodded. "His girls made them. Apparently Trapper was forbidden to help." Offering him the box, she added, "I think he should have helped a bit."

Sampling the fares, BJ nodded his agreement. "I've got a few years before Erin tries to make cookies. Here, try one of Peg's rum cookies. Hawk, Radar, you should try one too," he added as the other surgeon strode into the Swamp, followed by Radar.

"I don't care what Frank says about rank and threatening to go to Potter, I'm not switching shifts with him so he can have a hot date with Hot Lips!" Hawkeye ranted as he went straight to the still. Kate silently held the box of cookies out to Radar, who took one with a smile as Hawkeye continued. "That little rodent is getting on my nerves."

"Please, don't hold your feelings in, Hawkeye," BJ said wryly as he offered his box of cookies to Radar as well. "Tell us how you really feel."

"No! BJ, you know he'll rant from now 'til Sunday about Frank," Kate interjected with a laugh.

Hawkeye poured himself a martini. "At least he's not in command anymore. That was hell until Potter showed up. Beej, want a refill?" The younger surgeon nodded, and Hawkeye turned to Kate. "What about you, Kate?"

She shook her head. "No thanks," she replied with a small smile. "But if you've got extra olives on hand, I'll have some of those."

After some rooting around, BJ located the jar of olives and was about to pass them to Kate when he paused. "I thought you didn't like olives."

Kate shrugged. "They sound really good right now," she said, snagging the jar from his hand. Twisting the top open, she popped one into her mouth. "You know, horseradish would really hit the spot with these."

Hawkeye stared at her. "How have you been feeling lately, Kate?" he asked after a short pause.

"I had that stomach bug that went around a month ago, but other than that I've been feeling fine," she replied.

"There wasn't a stomach bug going around last month," BJ said. "No one was sick, except apparently you."

Kate glanced at him. "Are you sure? I could have sworn there was a bug going around." Reaching for her box of cookies, she pulled one out and balanced an olive on top before chomping into it. "Not bad," she commented of her confection.

Hawkeye shuddered slightly. "You know, I've noticed that you've been rivaling Radar in the consumption of the mess food."

"Hey!" Radar protested as he tried Kate's olive-and-cookie combo.

"So I've been hungry. There's no crime in that. Besides, I had to make up for when I was sick. I couldn't keep anything down then," Kate replied, her voice tightening slightly.

BJ could sense her temper was rising. "Calm down, Kate. Hawkeye was just making an observation," he said, setting a calming hand on her shoulder while shooting a dirty look at Hawkeye.

Hawkeye tossed back his drink and poured another. "Normally you'd laugh a comment like that off. Instead, you're getting angry about it."

"Will you please just spit it out?" BJ asked, trying to defuse the situation as Kate's eyes flashed.

"What I'm trying to say is that this seems a bit familiar. Remember when you and Trapper had that fight?"

She nodded. "How could I forget? My temper got the best of me because I…" Finally she caught Hawkeye's gist, and the storm in her eyes faded. "Because I was pregnant…you think I'm pregnant again."

Radar fumbled with the cookie he'd just reached for, almost dropping it. "Holy cow," he whispered. Hawkeye merely nodded.

Kate replaced the lid on the olives and set them aside, her face serious. "Anything's possible," she admitted. "I've been feeling strange sensations in my abdomen lately, and…" she flushed slightly, "…my pants are getting a bit tight." Both captains and the corporal glanced at her stomach, which had gotten slightly rounder in the last month.

"What about 'that time of the month'?" BJ asked.

After a moment's thought, Kate shook her head. "Not for the past two months, at least. Since before Trapper left."

BJ turned to Radar. "Radar, can we borrow Fluffy or Muffin?"

"Why?" the young corporal asked suspiciously.

"For a pregnancy test," Hawkeye replied. "See, we get some fluid from Kate and put it in the rabbit's ovaries. After about a twenty four hour waiting period we check Fluffy's or Muffin's ovaries. If there's no change, then Kate stays here; if there's a change, then Trapper gets his wife back."

"Plus, we wouldn't have to kill the rabbit, just remove her ovaries," BJ added. "That way, one could share a cage with Bongo, and you wouldn't have to worry about miniature hoppers."

After long moments of thinking, Radar nodded. "I guess so. I mean, as long as you don't have to kill her. I'll go get Muffin."

As he walked out of the Swamp, Hawkeye offered his hand to Kate. "Come on, Kate, let's get this test going."

**_TBC..._**

Hmmm...who wants to see Trapper get his wife back?


	19. The Results Are In

A/N: I know, I started with another letter. Sorry 'bout that. Anyways, still don't own MASH. Let's see how this test is going to turn out, shall we?

_Previously: As he walked out of the Swamp, Hawkeye offered his hand to Kate. "Come on, Kate, let's get this test going."_

…_I think you'd like Colonel Potter, _Kate wrote in her letter to Trapper the next day. _He's more military than Henry was, but he's a good fellow. When he first came, Hawkeye and I were concerned that he'd take Frank and Margaret's side in everything, but he gets just as annoyed with them as Henry did. He got a letter from his son in this last mail call; he's going to be a grandfather. I've only seen a happier man once…you, when we got married._

_Radar gave Colonel Potter a horse for his anniversary. It's fitting; Potter has photos of every horse he's ever owned hung on the wall in his office, and he brought his saddle as well from when he rode in the Calvary. Might as well have a horse for that saddle, right? He named her Sophie._

_Did I tell you that Hawkeye died, according to the Army? Apparently someone labeled a casualty as Hawk, and the Army went and notified his dad that he had died. Of course, this had to happen when General Eisenhower was visiting, so there was no way for Hawkeye to get through to his dad in Crabapple Cove. But eventually it got all straightened out._

_Hawk gave us a scare a week back. He had gone up near the front to work at an aid station, and on the way back he crashed his jeep, which landed him with a concussion. A Korean family took him in; he thanked them by talking up a storm about anything and everything he could think of to keep from falling asleep. At least he managed to send a note to the camp via the eldest daughter, so Radar could find him._

_Klinger is same ol', same ol'. His most recent attempts to get out of here include trying to steal a jeep while dressed as a Korean woman and dressing as a bush. Obviously he wasn't successful. I wish I could have seen his attempt to paraglide out. What was it he looked like, a big red bird with fuzzy pink feet?_

_Hawkeye and BJ decided they were going to try and break the record of how many people can fit into a jeep. I think they got 17 people in there, total. And yes, I was one of them. They've also taken to teaching English to some of the locals. The most popular phrases are "Frank Burns eats worms" and "You tell 'em, Ferret Face!"_

_I keep hoping that I get my discharge papers, Trapper. The last few months have been hard without you. I can't wait to see you again, to cuddle with you in bed, wake up next to you…the works. Tell the girls that the cookies were wonderful. Radar ate a lot of them._

"Kate?" Radar knocked on the door of the nurses' quarters. "Hawkeye said it's almost time to see the results."

"Okay, I'll be there in a minute," Kate replied. She scrawled a few more lines, purposely leaving out the news about using a rabbit for a certain test. Signing her name, she pressed a kiss to the paper, leaving a lipstick impression next to her name. She folded the letter and stuffed it into an envelope. "Radar, when does the next batch of mail go out?" she asked as she filled out the envelope.

"It's supposed to go out in three days, but I think there's someone heading to Seoul this afternoon, if you want it to go out sooner."

Kate nodded as she pushed open the door of the tent. "I'd appreciate that," she said, handing the envelope to the young corporal. They walked slowly towards post-op, where they found Hawkeye and BJ waiting in the corner that housed the lab equipment. "Do you have it?" she asked softly, her heart hammering against her ribs.

Hawkeye held up the specimens. "Right here. Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

Flipping on the desk lamp, he slid the specimens under the microscope and compared them. He looked for a long moment, then motioned to BJ. "Beej, take a look."

The younger surgeon peered into the microscope. "There's no question about it."

Kate couldn't wait any longer. "Well?"

A wide grin spread across Hawkeye's face. "You're going home." BJ grabbed Kate in a bear hug and swung her around as Radar took a look for his own—he wanted to see how his rabbit had helped with this happy news. The air was filled with their exuberant cheers.

"What is tarnation is going on in here?" Colonel Potter demanded. "I can hear you carousing all the way in my office."

"I'm sorry, Colonel," Kate gasped as BJ finally set her down. "I just got some really good news…"

"Great news, Colonel," Hawkeye interrupted as he grabbed Kate in a bear hug of his own and swung her around as well.

"She's pregnant, Sir," Radar supplied.

Colonel Potter's gruff expression softened. "Pregnant?" he echoed, taking a look in the microscope for himself.

"Yes, Sir, with a baby," Radar replied.

"Well, congratulations, Lieutenant," Potter said. "I reckon this means that I'll have to look for another nurse. Radar…"

The corporal was already heading to the office. "Yes sir, I'll get the discharge paperwork started."

Colonel Potter shook his head. "I'm still not used to that boy knowing what I'm going to say," he muttered. Turning to Kate, he said, "Once the paperwork is filed, you should be heading home in a few days, a week at most."

Just then the PA system rattled to life. "Attention! Attention all personnel! Lieutenant Kate McIntyre is being discharged on account of being pregnant. All personnel wishing to help with the going-away party and or a baby shower, please talk to Captains Pierce or Hunnicutt."

Kate laughed. "So much for keeping it under wraps."

"So how far along do you think you are?" BJ asked.

"At least two months, possibly three," Kate replied, ticking the figures on her fingers. "Trapper was discharged a little over two months ago." Her green eyes sparkled with merriment. "How am I going to tell him? I kind of want to surprise him."

BJ thought for a moment. "I think showing up will be a good enough surprise. Besides, he's bound to notice that you've gotten a wee bit bigger."

Hawkeye grinned as he rubbed Kate's slightly noticeable baby bump. "And to think, we all figured this was from the lousy food."

**_TBC..._**

Okay, let's see. Bits from the following episodes were mentioned: _Mail Call, Again; The Late Captain Pierce; Dear Mildred; Hawkeye; The Trial of Henry Blake; _and _Dear Peggy. _I don't know what the time frame is for a pregnant nurse to be discharged from the Army, so I'm basing Kate's discharge along the lines of Radar's hardship discharge in season 8. Hope you enjoyed it!


	20. Kate's Farewell

A/N: I'm loving the reviews I've been getting for this story! Thank you, everyone! The only thing that would make it better would be if I owned MASH :) Again, thanks to Corka for giving me the OK to borrow bits and pieces of her stories.

_Previously: Hawkeye grinned as he rubbed Kate's slightly noticeable baby bump. "And to think, we all figured this was from the lousy food."_

The next few days were filled with excitement as Kate started packing her belongings. When wounded came into the compound, Kate was unanimously assigned to pre-op. Hawkeye and BJ trusted her judgment in pre-op more than they trusted Frank's; Frank was known for sending shocky GIs into the OR, and the surgeons would have to send them back. She was also a great presence in post-op, as usual.

"Kate?" Hawkeye knocked on the door of the nurses' quarters the morning of her departure.

"Come in, Hawkeye." Kate was trying to pack the gifts she had received the night before at her coinciding baby shower and going away parties. "I don't know if I'll have enough room for everything I got last night." She was already dressed in her Class A uniform, sans the jacket and hat.

Hawkeye grinned. "Let me take a stab at it." After ten minutes of wrestling and a bit of cursing, he finally had everything packed into Kate's bags. "It's a good thing you got another bag," he commented, "Or else you'd have to leave some things behind."

Kate chuckled. "Thanks for the help." Glancing around, she sighed. "I'm going to miss this place."

"You've got to be kidding," Hawkeye said in disbelief. "You're going to miss the rats, the lice, the slop they pass off as food?"

"Of course not!" Kate shot back. "I'm going to miss the people. The pranks you've pulled. You guys are my family."

Hawkeye sat on the bunk. "If you keep going on, you're going to make me cry," he said, half serious. "Let's go for a walk." They stepped out into the sunshine and walked slowly around the compound. Kate didn't bother stopping in at the tents, as she did when she first arrived, because everyone was going to be sending her off later that morning. Finally they were on the path towards the field where baby Marko was buried.

Kate stopped at the little grave; wildflowers had started growing near the head. Hawkeye wandered a bit away to give Kate privacy so she could say goodbye. Finally she rejoined him. "Thank you," she said softly, wiping away tears as they started to walk back to the camp.

"It's probably a good thing you're heading stateside now," Hawkeye commented as they strolled along. "Your uniform is getting a bit tight."

Kate laughed as she ran a hand over her rounding stomach. "I think it'll be retired as soon as I get to Boston," she admitted. "I can't wait to see Trapper's face when he opens the door!"

Hawkeye laughed as well. "I wish I could come along and see it." They had reached the edge of the compound angled for the nurses' quarters. "So what did you think of the party last night?"

"It was amazing. The baby blanket that the girls made is adorable." Margaret and the other nurses had used pieces cut from unused blouses and sewn it together with thread from the Army-issued sewing kits. Colonel Potter gave her a novel by his beloved Zane Grey, inside which he had tucked a crisp $100 bill. Hawkeye, BJ, Radar, and Frank had pooled their resources and presented Kate with another $100 bill, solely for the use of purchasing baby gear. Radar also gave Kate a fresh pad of paper and pens, so she could write to the camp, Father Mulcahy gave her a special St. Christopher medal for safe travels, and Klinger's gift got the best laugh of the night: a tiny Captain's uniform, complete with two fabric Captain's bars.

"Do you have the envelope we gave you last night?" Hawkeye asked.

Kate nodded. "It's inside my Bible." After an argument over who would give it to her, BJ and Hawkeye both handed Kate a sealed envelope addressed to Trapper, with strict instructions that she could not peek until Trapper had opened it. "Are you sure I can't peek?"

Hawkeye grinned. "Not even a little bit." Reaching the nurses' quarters, they stepped inside so Kate could retrieve her Class A coat and hat, while Hawkeye grabbed her bags.

Kate walked with Hawkeye to the commander's office one last time. She could see the entire camp standing in front of the tent, waiting to bid her farewell one last time. Hawkeye set her bags down as Kate's eyes filled with tears. First she spoke to the nurses and Margaret. "I've been honored to work with and live among you. You're all amazing women. Thank you for everything you've done to make me feel welcome here. Margaret, you've been like a big sister to me. Sometimes bossy, but that's how sisters are." The women embraced.

Next she turned to Frank. "Frank. What can I say? You're a one-of-a-kind guy. Korea will never be the same when you leave." BJ and Hawkeye smothered guffaws as Frank beamed, not comprehending the real meaning of Kate's farewell.

"Colonel, you're a fine commander, and I'm glad that I was in your command, even for this little while," Kate said before saluting her former commanding officer.

Colonel Potter returned her salute. "You're a damn fine nurse, Lieutenant, and I'm sorry to see you leave." Stepping forward, he embraced her. "Take care of that little one. And keep in touch."

Kate nodded as she turned to Father Mulcahy. "Father, you're one of the rocks of the camp. Please, please don't change."

Father Mulcahy smiled. "God be with you, Kate."

"Klinger, I'll send you that black evening bra you'd asked Trapper to send. I think he'd be more comfortable with me purchasing it."

Adjusting the straps of his black evening gown, Klinger smiled gratefully. "I appreciate that, Kate. Thank you."

Radar blinked back tears as Kate turned to him. "I'll send you cookies from the girls every now and then," she promised. "And lots of pictures." She embraced him. "I'm going to miss you a lot," she whispered so only he could hear.

"I'll take care of these guys for you," he replied softly. "Here," he added, pulling an envelope out of his pocket, "you can give this to Trapper in person. I didn't send it."

Laughing, she tucked it into her coat pocket before turning to BJ. "BJ, you're the best replacement surgeon this camp could ask for. Thank you for giving me your address so I can write to Peg." They embraced. "Keep an eye on Hawkeye for me."

"You bet," BJ promised. "Peg's going to love hearing from you."

Finally Kate turned to Hawkeye. "Hawk. I can't tell you how much I appreciate all you've done for me, and for Trapper." Gently she kissed his cheek before he pulled her into a hug. "You'd better write back."

"Here it comes," Radar warned.

Releasing her friend, Kate stepped back. "I'm going to miss you, all of you. You are the best family that I could ever hope for," she said to the group as the jeep pulled up. BJ and Hawkeye each grabbed a bag and set it in the backseat as Radar helped Kate into the passenger seat. Everyone waved as the jeep headed for Kimpo.

**_TBC..._**

Just to lay certain fears to rest...Even though Trapper is stateside, and Kate's on her way stateside, does not mean that we've seen or heard the last of Hawkeye and the rest of the gang at the 4077th! Didn't you love Kate's goodbye to Frank? I don't know about you, but I can see ol' Ferret Face taking that as a compliment!


	21. Surprise!

A/N: Here's my wish-list...Trapper, and the rights to MASH. In that order :)

_Previously: BJ and Hawkeye each grabbed a bag and set it in the backseat as Radar helped Kate into the passenger seat. Everyone waved as the jeep headed for Kimpo._

"Daddy, can we watch 'Walt Disney' after supper?" Seven year old Becky asked as she carefully set the table early Wednesday evening.

"I wanna watch 'Mickey Mouse Club'!" Five year old Kathy protested, looking up from her coloring book.

Becky stuck her tongue out. "I asked first."

"That's not fair!"

Trapper sighed as his headache grew. He'd had a long day at the hospital, and the girls hadn't been getting along at all that day. "Girls, if you don't stop bickering you'll be going straight to bed after supper," he replied as he searched the cupboards. He'd forgotten to go to the grocery store after his shift; there wasn't much on hand.

"Daddy, I'm hungry," Becky whined.

"I know, sweetie," Trapper replied, groaning inwardly when he heard a soft knocking at the door. "Now what?" he muttered as he crossed over to the door. Thinking it was another door-to-door salesman, he yanked open the door, ready to give that person a piece of his mind. The words he was about to say died on his lips when he saw Kate standing there in her Class A uniform, her bags at her feet. "Kate…what…how…?" Trapper was at a loss for words.

"Well, I was going to have Radar mail this letter to you," she said as she pulled an envelope out of her pocket. "But then I decided I wanted to give it to you myself." Then Kate smiled that sweet smile that Trapper loved. "Hi, honey. I'm home," she said softly.

Trapper took the letter she held out and tossed it aside before grabbing his wife in a tight embrace. Lifting her off her feet, he carried her into the apartment. Becky and Kathy watched, eyes wide, as their daddy laughed and swung the strange lady in a greenish color suit around the apartment, causing her uniform hat to fly off.

Setting her back on her feet, he buried his face against her neck, inhaling her sweet fragrance, feeling her melt in his arms. "I can't believe you're home, sweetheart," he whispered. "I've missed you so much!"

Kate laughed as he pressed kisses against her neck. "I've missed you too. But I think you'd better explain things to those sweet little girls who are staring at us while I get my bags."

Trapper turned to his daughters, who were across the living room, watching him with wide eyes. "Becky, Kathy, this is Kate," he said.

Becky stepped forward, watching as Kate hefted her two Army bags into the apartment and shut the door. "The lady you told us about?" she asked.

"The one and only," Trapper replied.

Kate knelt down so she was eye level with Becky. "You must be Becky," she said gently. "Your daddy has told me a lot about you."

"He has?" Becky echoed, moving closer.

Kathy edged over to hug Trapper's leg. "Daddy?" She motioned for him to bend down. "She's pretty," the little girl whispered into his ear.

"Yes she is," he whispered back. Straightening, he looked at his girls. "This calls for a celebration," he decided. "Let's go out to eat." The girls cheered and ran to put on their shoes and coats as Trapper pulled Kate back into his arms and gently kissed her, whispering, "Welcome home."

"I don't think I could eat another bite," Kate said a few hours later, unlocking the door for Trapper so he could carry Kathy into the apartment. The little girl had fallen asleep in the car on the way home from the restaurant. Becky followed her father and Kate brought up the rear, slipping out of her shoes after shutting the door.

Trapper carried his youngest daughter into the bedroom the girls shared, quickly got her pajamas on, and tucked her into her bed. "Becky, come get ready for bed," he called softly.

Becky pouted. "Do I have to?"

"Yes, sugar. We stayed out past your bedtime. Now please go brush your teeth," was the response. Becky sighed and disappeared into the bathroom as Trapper came out of the girls' bedroom. He dropped a wink at Kate, who had collapsed on the couch after pulling her jacket off. "Lieutenant, you're out of uniform," he quipped as he went to grab her bags.

Kate waved a hand, her eyes closed. "I will be in about ten minutes, Captain," she replied, a grin crossing her face.

"Hey now…I'm not a captain anymore."

She opened one eye. "And I'm not a lieutenant anymore, either."

Trapper carried Kate's bags into the master bedroom and plopped them on the floor. _Funny, she only had one when she showed up at the 4077__th__, _he mused to himself. Turning around, he opened the closet door and shoved his hanging clothes aside, to make room for Kate's. He was partway through making room in the dresser for more of Kate's clothes when he heard Becky sneak past the room. Easing to the door, he eavesdropped.

"Kate?"

"Yes, Becky?"

"Do I have to call you 'Mommy'? Because I already have a mommy."

Trapper heard Kate sit up. "You don't have to if you don't want to," she replied gently. "You do have a mommy, one who loves you very much, and I'm not trying to take her place in your heart." He heard another sound, and peeked around the corner to see that Becky had crawled onto the couch beside Kate. "I hope that one day you can think of me as another mother."

Becky leaned against Kate, yawning. "Is it okay if I call you Kate?"

Kate wrapped her arm around the sleepy girl and gave her a gentle squeeze. "Of course it is. And now, I think it's time for you to go to bed, so the Sandman can come give you sweet dreams."

The little girl giggled as she slid off the couch and scampered to her room. Just before she shut the door, she turned back to Kate. "I'm glad you're not in Korea anymore," she said shyly.

"Me too," Kate said with a smile. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

As the door clicked shut, Kate lay back down on the couch. "You shouldn't listen at doorways," she scolded softly as Trapper walked through the room.

Trapper chuckled as he bent over the arm of the couch and pressed a kiss against his wife's forehead. "And you shouldn't still be in uniform." Locking the door and shutting off the lights, he stopped in front of the couch and offered Kate his hand. "C'mon, let's go to bed. You're as tired as the girls."

Kate allowed herself to be pulled off the couch and led to the bedroom. Spotting her bags, she sighed. "I should take care of…"

"No, you shouldn't," Trapper cut her off firmly. "They'll still be there in the morning." He pulled her into his arms. "I'm so glad you're home, Kate. I've missed you something terrible."

Snuggling against his chest, Kate sighed happily. "We've got a lot of catching up to do, Trap." Tilting her head up, she pressed her lips to his in a passionate kiss.

Everything melted away when Kate kissed him. Trapper was keenly aware of her body pressing against his; something in the back of his mind niggled, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Deepening the kiss, Trapper began unbuttoning Kate's shirt, tugging the hem out of her skirt. Reaching to undo her belt, he paused. "Kate, did you eat that much tonight?"

Kate pulled away slightly, her eyes sparkling. "What do you mean?" she asked innocently.

Trapper ran his hand over her slightly rounded stomach. "I know the food in Korea's not that good. Was this all from the food tonight?"

No…this actually did start in Korea," she admitted. A smile played on her lips as she took his hand and pressed it against her abdomen. "Wait."

"What am I waiting…" Trapper's voice trailed off as he felt a barely discernible flutter. "Is that what I think it is?"

Kate nodded, her smile growing. "That's the reason I'm home."

Trapper knelt down and kissed her baby bump. "Thank you, little one," he said. Pressing his ear to her belly, he listened.

"What are you doing?" the expecting mother asked.

"Shhh…I'm talking with our baby," Trapper explained. After another moment of listening, he smiled. "He says thanks for the real food, and that it's better than the mess tent slop."

Kate chuckled as he stood up. "Oh he said that, did he? Mmmhmm. Now, where were you?"

Trapper pretended to think. "Oh yeah," he said with his crooked grin. "I remember." His hands found her belt as his lips found hers. Within moments their clothes were on the floor and Trapper and Kate were making good use of the queen size bed.

**_TBC..._**

Yay! Kate made it home safe and sound! Becky and Kathy made their first appearance! Trapper's going to be a daddy again! I love exclaimation points!


	22. The First of Many Mornings

A/N: Know what happens when I write about MASH a lot? I end up having dreams about MASH. What would I have to do to own it? Hmmm... :)

_Previously: His hands found her belt as his lips found her lips. Within moments their clothes were on the floor and Trapper and Kate were making good use of the queen size bed._

_Riiiiiiing! _A hazel eye opened and stared blearily at the golden clock beside the bed. Reaching out a hand, Trapper slapped at the device, finally hitting the correct button to shut it up. _How is it 6:45 already? _He rolled over, smiling as his eyes fell on the sleeping form of his wife. Kate was curled up on her side, her slumber undisturbed by the alarm. Strands of black hair tumbled over her face; he reached over and gently brushed them away. Her ivory skin was flushed slightly with sleep. Pressing a gentle hand against her abdomen, Trapper waited but didn't feel any movements.

Kate sighed in her sleep, pressing her cheek further into the soft pillow. Trapper pressed a kiss to her forehead before slipping out of bed. Quietly he pulled his robe on and headed to the kitchen to make a phone call before starting breakfast. As soon as the oatmeal was cooking he went to wake Becky and Kathy for school.

"Where's Kate?" Kathy asked as she slid into her seat.

Trapper set glasses of orange juice on the table. "She's still sleeping, sweetheart. Remember, her body is still on Korea time." Stirring the oatmeal, he doled it out and set steaming bowls in front of his daughters. "Kathy, you want some honey?"

"Yes please."

"Daddy, why aren't you dressed? Aren't you going to work today?" asked Becky, tasting her oatmeal.

_Nothing gets past her, _Trapper thought, hiding a grin. "I took the day off to help Kate get settled in. Is your homework done, girls?" Becky and Kathy nodded as they fell to eating their breakfast. Once they had finished, Trapper sent them to get cleaned up and dressed for school. Peeking in on Kate, he saw that she still slept soundly.

"Daddy, is it okay if we go early? Teacher's always there by 8, and she doesn't mind watching the kids on the playground."

Glancing at the clock, Trapper nodded. "When it's 7:45 you can go." The girls watched the clock; finally the awaited time came. Becky and Kathy eagerly grabbed their satchels, hugged their father, and scampered out the door.

Locking the door behind them, Trapper went into the kitchen again. Picking up the phone, he rang up the operator to patch a call through to Korea. After several minutes he was connected to Sparky, who patched the call through to the 4077th. Finally Radar picked up. "4077th M*A*S*H."

"Radar, how ya doing? It's Trapper."

"Holy cow, it's good to hear from you! How's it going state-side? Did Kate make it all right?" Excitement echoed through the line; dimly Trapper heard the PA system rattle to life.

"You shoulda called to let me know she was coming home. She surprised us last night." Trapper grinned. "Being state-side is a lot better now that she's here."

Another voice came on the line. "Trapper, you sonofagun!" Hawkeye shouted. "How are you?"

"I'm doing great, wonderful now that Kate's home. Which rabbit did you use for the test?"

"He knows!" Cheers came over the line, and Trapper's grin widened. "So, Big John, have you found everything that we sent home with her?" Hawkeye asked.

Trapper shook his head, then remembered that his ex-Swamp mate couldn't see. "I kept her too busy to unpack her bags when she got home." Laughter echoed through the line again.

Radar said something unintelligible, and Hawkeye groaned. "We've got about a minute before it'll get cut off. So how could you run off without saying goodbye?"

"Hey Hawk, I've got my papers. See ya later," Trapper chuckled. Then he grew serious. "We're gonna get cut off here soon, so I'll have Kate ring you up later. Tell the padre hello for us." They managed to say their goodbyes before the line got disconnected. Trapper hung up the phone and was about to head back to bed when he spotted the envelope Kate had handed him the night before. Picking it up, he tore it open as he crossed over to the couch to read in comfort.

_Dear Trapper-_

_You know, I never thought anything could be worse than when we nurses were evacuated to the 44__th__ Field Hospital. At least then we were back within a couple days. It's definitely been more than a couple of days since you left._

_I read your last letter over and over. The paper's started to tear at the creases, that's how much I've read it. Of course, it makes me want to be in your arms again. Here I go, not even a paragraph into this letter and I'm getting all sentimental. Radar just walked past; he says to say hello. _

_We've had a rush of wounded through lately, including one who believed himself to be Jesus Christ. Both Sidney and Colonel Flagg were here for that. I could have done without Flagg. He's so…so…frustrating to be around. Well, you undoubtedly remember how he is…a real fruitcake. If anyone should be getting a section 8, it's Flagg._

_Wounded isn't the only thing that's been through here. The hemorrhagic fever swept through here as well. Frank caught it and incurred the wrath of Margaret by writing out a will and leaving his clothes to her. That was about the time Radar got drunk…apparently he tried to drink the ink in a tattoo parlor and also tried to swim 50 laps in an eight-foot hothouse tub. He was charged with those as well as drunk and disorderly. It didn't stick. _

_Frank is as thick and annoying as ever. Here's something interesting! His wife finally learned about the goings-on between 'her darling' and Margaret. He managed to convince her not to divorce him, which didn't sit well with Margaret. They seem to have made up, though. In fact, his toenails have been recently been the same color as Margaret's._

_I think you'd like Colonel Potter. He's more military than Henry was, but he's a good fellow. When he first came, Hawkeye and I were concerned that he'd take Frank and Margaret's side in everything, but he gets just as annoyed with them as Henry did. He got a letter from his son in this last mail call; he's going to be a grandfather. I've only seen a happier man once…you, when we got married._

_Radar gave Colonel Potter a horse for his anniversary. It's fitting; Potter has photos of every horse he's ever owned hung on the wall in his office, and he brought his saddle as well from when he rode in the Calvary. Might as well have a horse for that saddle, right? He named her Sophie._

_Did I tell you that Hawkeye died, according to the Army? Apparently someone labeled a casualty as Hawk, and the Army went and notified his dad that he had died. Of course, this had to happen when General Eisenhower was visiting, so there was no way for Hawkeye to get through to his dad in Crabapple Cove. But eventually it got all straightened out._

_Hawk gave us a scare a week back. He had gone up near the front to work at an aid station, and on the way back he crashed his jeep, which landed him with a concussion. A Korean family took him in; he thanked them by talking up a storm about anything and everything he could think of to keep from falling asleep. At least he managed to send a note to the camp via the eldest daughter, so Radar could find him._

_Klinger is same ol', same ol'. His most recent attempts to get out of here include trying to steal a jeep while dressed as a Korean woman and dressing as a bush. Obviously he wasn't successful. I wish I could have seen his attempt to paraglide out. What was it he looked like, a big red bird with fuzzy pink feet?_

_Hawkeye and BJ decided they were going to try and break the record of how many people can fit into a jeep. I think they fit 17 people in there, total. And yes, I was one of them. They've also taken to teaching English to some of the locals. The most popular phrases are "Frank Burns eats worms" and "You tell 'em, Ferret Face!"_

_I keep hoping that I get my discharge papers, Trapper. The last few months have been hard without you. I can't wait to see you again, to cuddle with you in bed, wake up next to you…the works. Tell the girls that the cookies were wonderful. Radar ate a lot of them._

_Speaking of the corporal, he just came with word that I'm needed in post-op. I'll wrap this up so it'll be in your hands soon. I love you so much, darling, and I'm watching the mail for my discharge so we can be together again. Love, your wife Kate._

Trapper smiled as he folded the letter. As much as he loved reading Kate's letters home, having her home was much better. Pulling himself off the couch, Trapper shut off the lights and went back to the bedroom. Kate still slept soundly; Trapper took off his robe and eased into the bed, trying not to disturb her. Sleep eluded him, so he contented himself with watching Kate sleep. He caught every slight movement she made: the way her sides rose and fell with each breath, the flicker of her eyelids as she dreamed. The curve of her jaw, her slender hand resting on the pillow beside her nose, the way the light filtering through the blinds shone on her ebony hair, everything about Kate made him love her even more.

Finally she stirred, slowly coming out of slumber. Trapper watched as her eyes flickered open; when they met his hazel eyes Kate smiled sleepily. "Morning," she murmured.

"Good morning, sweetheart," Trapper replied softly. "Sleep well?"

She nodded, scooting closer so she could cuddle with her husband. "How long have you been watching me?" she asked as Trapper wrapped his arms around her.

"About a half hour," he admitted as Kate nuzzled her nose against his chest. "That tickles, you know. How's the little one?" He pressed his hand against her baby bump, and was rewarded when he felt another slight fluttering against his palm. "I'm surprised the little fella's moving already."

Kate chuckled. "He's like his daddy…impatient."

"I am not impatient!" Trapper protested mockingly. "Just for that…" he leaned over and kissed her thoroughly.

She was smiling when he pulled away. "I could get used to waking up like this." Snuggling against his chest again, Kate sighed contently. "I suppose you're going in to the hospital today?"

Trapper began stroking her hair. "I took a personal day. It's funny…tell your superiors your wife just got home from Korea and they offer to give you a day or two off." He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "They all want to meet you. But I'm not ready to share just yet."

Kate slid her hand down past Trapper's stomach. "Is there something you're willing to share with me?" she asked, her smile turning coy.

"I think there's something," he responded as he pulled Kate underneath him.

**_TBC..._**

My goodness, they are a frisky couple! Of course, I would be too if my spouse finally got home from overseas. Any recognized bits are from the following episodes_: Mail Call, Again; The Trial of Henry Blake; The Late Captain Pierce; Dear Mildred; Dear Peggy; Hawkeye; There is Nothing Like a Nurse; Dear Ma; Soldier of the Month_; and _Quo Vadis, Captain Chandler? _Hope you enjoyed it!


	23. Pictures

A/N: Owning MASH is still at the top of my wishlist, lol.

_Previously: "I think there's something," he responded as he pulled Kate underneath him._

"Mail call, sirs," Radar called as he opened the door to the Swamp three months after Kate was sent home. "BJ, you've got two from your wife and one from your daughter."

"Thank you," BJ said, accepting the envelopes.

"Hawkeye, one from your dad, and your nudist monthly magazine. And…" Radar pulled a thick envelope from his pocket, "Kate sent one to all of us."

Hawkeye grinned. "Get in here and read it, then," he said, pouring drinks for himself and BJ. "Did you bring the box of cookies, too?"

Radar eagerly perched on the edge of Hawkeye's bunk. "She didn't send cookies this time." Ripping open the envelope, he pulled out the folded paper, flipped it open, and began to read:

_Dear Radar, Hawkeye, BJ, and everyone else you share this with,_

_How's the 4077__th__? I can't believe Frank got a promotion to Lieutenant Colonel and transfer stateside, all because Margaret got married. When I told Trapper about everything, he thought I was joking. Who was the brains behind the promotion idea?!_

_Hawk, you didn't say much in your last letter about your new Swamp-mate. However, since he's from Boston, Trapper did a bit of digging at the hospital. From what little you've mentioned, Major Charles Emerson Winchester III is the same pompous, arrogant windbag as he was here. However, he is a brilliant surgeon, so at least he'll be more helpful than Frank._

"Boy, she nailed Chuckle's description to a T," Hawkeye commented, using his favorite nickname for the major.

_We've included some photos. You'll notice that Trapper got dressed up nice and fine for these photos. Don't worry, he changed for the 'formal' pictures. You may also notice that I've gotten a bit larger…this baby is going to be big! These were taken during one of the weeks where we didn't have the girls. _

Hawkeye pulled the photos out of the envelope. Looking at them, he burst out laughing. "Look at this! He's wearing that horizontal striped suit!" Radar and BJ joined in the laughter as the pictures were passed around.

"Look how big she's getting," BJ commented. "She's what, five months along or so? I wonder how big that kid's going to be. Read on, Radar."

_I've been working at the hospital part-time, just to keep busy. Before you start in on me, I've been monitoring my movements and activities. If I start to feel worn out, I rest...and if I don't rest right away, Trapper gets after me. The little guy or girl is quite the mover! Becky and Kathy are excited about having a new little brother or sister._

_Lucky me, I finally got to meet the former Mrs. McIntyre. I'm still not sure what to think about Louise; I'm fairly certain she thinks I'm trying to get between her and the girls. Ugh, there are some people that I will never understand. At least we're able to stay amicable for the sake of the girls._

_We finally found THE house! It's a two-story monstrosity about ten minutes away from the apartment building we'd been living in, so the girls can keep walking to school when we have them. Really, it's a mansion that the bank foreclosed on. The previous owner built it before losing everything on the stock market. I have no idea what we're going to do with all the extra rooms. It has a massive fenced in backyard that the girls love. Trapper's been working on the nursery; it's now pale green, and I'm working on the curtains in my spare time. Tell Klinger that he's not the only one who knows his way around a sewing machine!_

_Trapper's been keeping a close eye on me, too. He introduced me to his colleagues at one of the hospital parties a few weeks after I got home. They're nice people, but just not as close-knit a group as we are._

_You know how Trapper's not much a letter writer, so I've been given the task of telling you guys 'thank you' for him. He read me part of the letter, which was (dare I say) very sweet. I can't believe you guys were able to get that much money together for us. The impact of seeing it all turned on the waterworks for me. Thank you, so much._

_BJ, Peg told me about your idea to have a reunion party for the families of the 4077__th__. It's a fantastic idea! Of course, not ten minutes after we hung up the phone, Hawk's letter about it came in the mail…go figure! Peg's asked me to help her plan her end of it. This should be interesting! I'm sure you know by now that the party will be on March 28__th__, at the Pierre Hotel in New York City. I'm sure that your families will be detailing the event in their letters to you. Be sure to look for something special in one of the mail calls after the 28__th__._

Radar looked up. "She says to tell everyone hello, and that if any of us get bombed she'll come back over here and kick our butts."

Hawkeye threw his head back in laughter. "That's just like Kate!"

**_TBC..._**

I had to mention Trapper's suit! He was so proud of that thing in the episode, so I couldn't not mention it. If you're wondering why the house they bought is so big, you'll find out in a later chapter. Stay tuned for the reunion party!


	24. New York, New York

A/N: So I'm working on the final chapter of this story. Don't worry, there's plenty of reading between now and that chapter. Also, if any of you want to use Kate in one of your stories, please ask me via email first. After all, she is the only part of this story that I own.

_Previously: Hawkeye threw his head back in laughter. "That's just like Kate!"_

"Oh my goodness," Kate breathed as Trapper pulled the car to a stop outside the Pierre Hotel in downtown New York City two months later. "This place is…massive."

Trapper chuckled as bellhops and a valet hurried out to meet them. "I'm just glad they've agreed to foot part of the bill," he admitted before getting out of the car. Hurrying around the vehicle, he opened the door and helped Kate ease herself out. "That's probably the kicker of the plan."

Kate carefully stretched, rubbing her back as Trapper handed the keys to the valet. "Speaking of kicker," she commented ruefully. "I was hoping little one would sleep most of the way here." Trapper chuckled as he led his wife into the hotel. Helping her settle into one of the wing-back chairs in the lobby, he went to check in. Kate rested a hand on her swollen stomach as she watched people walking past on the sidewalk outside.

"Excuse me." Kate turned to see an attractive blonde woman standing beside her chair. "Are you Kate McIntyre?"

"Yes…"

A smile crossed the woman's face. "I thought so. I'm Peg Hunnicutt."

Kate smiled as well. "It's so nice to finally meet you," she said as BJ's wife sat in the chair beside her. "BJ raved about you when I met him. Is Erin with your parents?"

Peg nodded. "They were happy to take her for the weekend. How was your trip out?"

"I was hoping that the little one would sleep during the trip," Kate said, absently rubbing her baby bump. "Alas, I was mistaken."

"I remember when I was pregnant with Erin. She was quite the mover!" Peg laughed. "Listen, I've been going over the last minute details for the party. We'll be set up in the Grand Ballroom. Mr. Lewis, one of the owners of the hotel, is going to have one of the staff recording the party, so we can send a movie over to the 4077th. I thought they'd like to see us all. Would you help me record a message afterward, so they can play it while they watch the movie?"

"Of course! Anything I can do to help."

"Help with what?" Trapper asked as he came to join the women.

Kate grinned delightedly. "Honey, this is Peg Hunnicutt. Peg, this is my husband John. He was Hawkeye's tent-mate before getting discharged."

Peg looked confused. "BJ never mentioned a John."

"He probably mentioned the name Trapper," Kate explained. Smothering a yawn, she apologized, "I'm sorry. I seem to get more tired lately."

"Oh there's no need to apologize, Kate," Peg said as Trapper helped his wife out of the chair. "I know what you're going through. Listen, I'll see you tomorrow afternoon at the reunion. Get some rest, Kate, and we'll talk about the message later."

Trapper led Kate to the elevator as Peg stepped outside. "What message?"

"Peg had an idea about filming the party and recording a message for the camp to play while they're watching the movie," Kate responded as she punched the up button. "What floor are we on?"

With a glance at the key in his hand, Trapper replied, "11th. We've got suite 1142."

Kate smiled as they stepped onto the elevator. "After a nap, I'll be a new woman." Leaning her head against her husband's shoulder, she yawned again. "Probably new enough to go find a dress for this little shindig."

_**TBC...**_

It's a bit short, so I'll post the next chapter soon. Get ready to party, people!


	25. The Party Begins

A/N: I had fun researching for this chapter. Hopefully you enjoy the fruits of my labor, so to speak. As usual, I don't own MASH *sigh* Special thanks to Corka for allowing me to use snippets of one of her stories in this chapter.

_Previously: Kate smiled as they stepped onto the elevator. "After a nap, I'll be a new woman." Leaning her head against her husband's shoulder, she yawned again. "Probably new enough to go find a dress for this little shindig."_

"Sweetheart, are you ready? It's almost time to go downstairs," Trapper called the following afternoon as he stood in front of the window. In the distance he could see a horse drawn carriage in Central Park; he wondered if it was the same one he and Kate had ridden in the day before. Hearing the door open behind him, he turned. "Ready to…" His voice trailed off when he saw Kate. The emerald green strapless gown they had found at a boutique the day before had an empire waist and a full skirt; it fit Kate's rounded belly perfectly. The hem of the full skirt grazed the floor as she walked towards Trapper. Her long black hair had been curled and pinned up; subtle makeup accented her beautiful features. A diamond pendant, Trapper's gift for her birthday the month before, hung on a delicate chain that encircled her neck, and matching earrings twinkled at her earlobes. "You look gorgeous, Mrs. McIntyre," Trapper said as he drew her close and gently kissed her.

"You don't look half bad in that tux, Dr. McIntyre," Kate replied, straightening his tie. "I wonder if everyone's going to come."

Trapper offered his arm. "Well, let's go find out." Within moments they were approaching the Grand Ballroom. A sign outside the door proclaimed _MASH 4077__th__ Family Reunion. _Kate grinned when she saw it.

"We must be in the right place."

Chuckling, Trapper pulled the door open. "After you," he said with a mock bow. Soft music and laughter filled the room; people were mingling on the dance floor. Two long tables were pushed together and set up with white tablecloths, linen napkins, and china and crystal dishes. "I think someone's trying to get our attention," Trapper said when he noticed Peg, clad in a pale pink evening gown, heading their way.

"Trapper, Kate, you both look wonderful! Come, I want to introduce you to everyone else," Peg bubbled as she led them to the cluster of well-dressed men and women. "Excuse me," she said to an elderly carbon copy of Hawkeye. "Dr. Daniel Pierce, I'd like to introduce Dr. Trapper John McIntyre and his wife, Kate."

Dr. Pierce turned, and Trapper found himself looking into the same blue eyes that his son possessed. "Trapper McIntyre. I've heard a lot about you from my no-good son. I have to say, I enjoyed hearing about the shenanigans you boys would pull."

"All good things, I hope, Dr. Pierce. I see you remember the audio letter Hawkeye sent home," Trapper said wryly as he shook the elder doctor's hand.

"Please, call me Daniel. And so this is Kate," he said, turning to Kate. "My dear, you are lovelier than Hawkeye described." Taking her hand, he raised it to his lips and kissed the back of it.

Kate smiled, her eyes alight. "I can see where Hawkeye gets his charm."

Daniel's eyes dropped to her belly, then back to her gaze. "He wrote me of your happy news. How is the pregnancy? The baby is moving as it should? You've been getting adequate rest?"

"I can see where he gets his medical skills, too," Kate replied with a laugh. "You can tell Hawkeye that everything is fine."

"You do know my son well," Daniel said, beckoning an attractive elderly lady over. "Have you met Mildred yet? Mildred Potter, this is Dr. John McIntyre and his lovely wife, Kate."

Quickly Kate and Trapper were introduced to the rest of the guests. The elder Charles and Caroline Winchester were both dressed to the nines in designer evening wear. Edna and Ed O'Reilly, Radar's mother and uncle, seemed to be enjoying their time there. Sister Maria Angelica, who preferred to be called Cathy, resembled her brother the padre remarkably, although she was a head taller. She had brought her saxophone along, promising a treat for the party. Al and Martha Houlihan appeared to be on their best behavior with each other, something Margaret had expressed concern about in her last letter to Kate.

As Trapper and Daniel chatted about medicine, Kate leaned towards Peg and gestured to an elderly Lebanese couple. "I'm guessing they are Klinger's parents?"

Peg looked where Kate was gesturing and nodded. "Yes, that's Butch and Hala Klinger. They brought her brother Abdul to translate, because they don't speak any English. From what I understand, Hala doesn't know that Klinger is in Korea." Glancing around, Peg frowned slightly. "I don't see Abdul, though. I was hoping to introduce you and Trapper to them."

Trapper watched as his wife excused herself and approached the Lebanese couple. He was too far away to hear the conversation, but the woman's face lit up as Kate spoke. After a few moments of conversation, she led them over to where Trapper, Daniel, and Peg stood. Speaking in Arabic, Kate rested her hand on Trapper's arm. The woman responded in turn, gesturing to her husband and herself. "Trapper, this is Butch and Hala Klinger." As Hala continued speaking, Kate translated. "She says it's a pleasure to meet one of the men her son worked with in Korea, and that she's known for a while where Max was stationed." Abdul reappeared, and Kate introduced herself and Trapper to him.

"Does she know about his attempts to get out of the Army?" Trapper wondered.

Kate asked Hala, who laughed merrily as Butch, via Abdul, engaged Daniel in conversation. "Apparently she sends Klinger patterns for his dresses," she translated. "He tries to wear something new in every picture he sends home. Hala would like us to sit with her, Butch, and Abdul, dear. Is that all right?"

Trapper smiled. "Of course, sweetheart." He waited until Kate replied to Hala before asking, "By the way, where did you learn to speak Arabic?"

"I have a degree in linguistics. Didn't I tell you about that?" Trapper shook his head. "I'm sorry, I thought I did. It helped when we were in Korea and we didn't have a translator. Although honestly, I think Henry forgot about it every now and then."

"Now that I think about it, I remember whenever there was a Korean on the table you'd be working on them," Trapper replied.

The ballroom door opened again as an attractive middle-aged woman stepped hesitantly into the room. Peg went to meet her, immediately leading her over to Kate and Trapper. "Kate and I are so glad you were able to make it," she was saying as they approached.

Kate stepped forward. "You must be Lorraine," she said softly. "I'm Kate McIntyre, formerly Kate Boswell, and this is my husband, John. We served with Henry."

Trapper was at a loss for words. Somehow Kate and Peg had convinced Lorraine Blake to come to the party. He had seen her image in a home video in Henry's office once, back in Korea. She was just as pretty still, although grey streaked through her blonde hair. _Probably from the news of Henry's plane being shot down, _he thought.

"Henry spoke highly of you, Kate." Lorraine's soft voice brought Trapper back to the present. "He said you were one of the most competent nurses in the unit. And John…it's funny, I don't remember a John. There was a Frank, and a Hawkeye, and a Trapper…"

"That's my nickname," Trapper said, offering his hand. "Trapper John McIntyre."

Lorraine daintily shook his hand. "It's nice to finally meet you."

After dinner the band struck up, and everyone made their way to the dance floor. Mildred and Daniel paired up for many of the dances; Butch and Hala swayed together, murmuring to each other. Kate danced with Abdul, who thanked her profusely for acting as a second translator for the evening, while Trapper and Lorraine twirled around the floor. He kept an eye on his wife, looking for any sign of fatigue or pain.

"She's smart enough to listen to her body, John," Lorraine said, a gentle smile crossing her face when she realized what Trapper was doing. "From what Henry wrote in his letters, you two were quite the item at the 4077th. When did you get married?"

"We got married almost eight months ago," he replied.

Lorraine's eyes dimmed slightly. "Right about when…"

Trapper nodded. "Yeah. We were having a memorial party for Henry. Kate and I decided to get the paperwork started, and while we were working on that, the rest of the camp got a surprise wedding set up for us. Two weeks later I got my discharge papers."

"When did Kate get hers?"

"She came home two and a half months after I did, on a medical discharge due to the pregnancy. It was a surprise to me when she showed up at our home." He smiled at the memory. "When she got home, she was barely showing. And now…"

"She looks like she's due any day now," Lorraine supplied as the song ended. "How far along is she?"

"Seven and a half months. You know, there's something Kate and I have been talking about, and since you're here, I'd like your opinion…"

As the next song drew to a close, Trapper went to find Kate, who was dancing with Butch. "Can I cut in?" he asked.

Kate translated, and Butch nodded, saying something in Arabic. "He says of course," Kate supplied as Trapper drew her into his arms. Swaying to the music, Kate sighed contently. "I was wondering if you'd forgotten about me," she teased.

Trapper flashed his crooked grin. "I thought I'd share the most beautiful woman here for a while," he retorted. His voice took on a serious note. "How are you feeling?"

"I think it's about time to start the other surprise of the evening," she replied.

"And that would be…?"

Kate tapped his nose with a forefinger. "You'll just have to wait and see." They danced the next two dances before hotel employees came into the ballroom to set up a large projection screen. Quickly the surprise was prepared, and soon the party guests were seated as Peg and Kate stood in front of the group. "I'm so glad to see everyone here tonight," Kate began. Quickly she repeated herself in Arabic before continuing. "We are all connected in a special way because of the war. For some, the war is something that has brought sorrow, for others it's brought joy. Overall, it's something that none of us will ever be able to forget."

"We have a special treat tonight," Peg said, taking over the emcee position. "When BJ and Hawkeye got word that the party was going to happen, they contacted Clete Roberts to ask about getting an old interview he did with the 4077th. Mr. Roberts did one better; he convinced Movietone News to send him back to Korea for a new interview. Mr. Roberts called me three days ago to inform me that the interview would be aired on television in a few weeks, and that we would have the special privilege to see the first viewing. He personally delivered it yesterday, so without further ado, hit it!"

**_TBC..._**

If I ever get a chance to go back to New York, I'm taking one of those carriage rides!


	26. Movietone News Presents

A/N: Tonight is a momentous night...I finished the final chapter to this story! Don't worry, there's still plenty of reading between now and then. Of course, I don't own MASH. How sad. Once again, thanks to Corka for allowing me to use bits of her stories in mine.

_Previously: "Mr. Roberts called me three days ago to inform me that the interview would be aired on television in a few weeks, and that we would have the special privilege to see the first viewing. He personally delivered it yesterday, so without further ado, hit it!"_

The man in charge of the projection screen waiting until Kate finished translating before starting the film. As Peg and Kate took their seats, the projection screen lit up with the black and white lights.

_Clips of battles played in the background as 'Movietone News' covered the screen, and their music played, gradually getting softer and softer as an announcer spoke, "As the war reaches its third year, the soldiers still trudge on, helping to bring democracy to this land. North Korea may still be less than accepting to the idea, but an end to the war does seem to be in the near future." The battle scenes turned to a few peace delegates leaving a small building, "The peace talks in Panmunjam still go on, and for the first time since being reactivated, seem to be making some progress."_

_The scene changed yet again, this time to a man with white hair and a mustache, holding a silver microphone in his hand and standing by a Jeep, parked in front of the Swamp. "This is Korea. March 3rd, nineteen hundred and fifty-three. I'm Clete Roberts and I'm speaking to you from outside of the surgeons' tent at the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital – a MASH. This isn't the first, nor the second time that we've been to this particular unit, but we've returned for the third because its record of efficiency and the people who make that record are truly an amazing story."_

"He can say that again," Kate murmured as Trapper wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"_Excuse me, Doctor." The reporter walked a little bit to the right to 'flag down' the surgeon that had just excited the Swamp._

"_Yeah?" The surgeon was Hawkeye. _

"_Can I ask you a few questions? Captain Pierce, right?" Clete smiled as the close up was on him._

"_Didn't you just ask me one?" _There were a few chuckles in the crowd. _Hawkeye grinned, "Yeah, you can ask me anything."_

_The older man on camera chuckled, "Well, how do you cope with the present situation, here in Korea?"_

"_Really, you just cling to people and you find someone who can help you get through it all. If you're scared, you find someone else who's just as scared as you are and it tends to cancel out. It's like you're so concerned for the other person that your own fears get blocked out, fearing for them… I guess the drinking helps with that too though."_

"_Would you say there's a lot of drinking that goes on around here?"_

_Hawkeye nodded, "Yeah, but you have to remember it's like a different world over here. With what we see day in and day out, sometimes a drink is pretty necessary. Many days, it takes more than one."_

_The screen changed to a close up of Clete Roberts' face, obviously now indoors since the background was darker and closed in. "Colonel Potter, I've seen the casualty reports. The numbers are astounding. How does this unit keep up its high survival rate for the wounded men that come through here?"_

"_Well, you have to take these surgeons into consideration. They're the best damn bunch I've ever worked with. The nurses too. I don't think you could find a better nursing staff anywhere. Those ladies are all a bunch of really swell eggs." There was a concentrated look on the Colonel's face for a second, "I'd say, all in all, the reason why this place's efficiency record is as good as it is, is because of the staff here, not because of their leader." The CO winked, "Not that their leader isn't good or anything, it's just that I'm only one person. It's the draftee doctors around here that run the show. They don't listen to orders anyway and to be honest, I think I like it better that way. Makes it feel more like a civilized world around here, even though things get more chaotic every day."_

Mildred chuckled softly. "That's my Sherm."

_Margaret was the next to appear on the screen. "Major Houlihan, how do you handle being a high ranking female officer amidst the men?" _Al smiled proudly at the sight of his daughter in her uniform.

"_Any one of the men here can attest that I worked to get to where I am. I was born and raised Army; a civilian life just wouldn't fit my lifestyle. Being in the Army is what I was born to do. And if some men can't handle it, then that's their problem." She tossed her blonde head in typical Margaret fashion. "They can come watch me work and see how I run my nursing staff if anyone thinks I can't handle being a major."_

"Boy, she hasn't changed," Trapper whispered to Kate, who nodded.

_Next, the screen showed Klinger. _From the look of the background, Trapper guessed they were outside the commander's office. _"What do you think is your most difficult problem here?" asked the kind reporter. _

"_I'd say doing things the Army way. I mean back home in Toledo, if we wanted something, all we'd have to do was steal it…borrow it…" _The crowd erupted with laughter and after Abdul finished translating what their son had said, Butch and Hala were caught up in the laughter as well.

_Radar showed up next. _His mom and uncle sat with proud smiles on their faces as they watched their son/nephew reply to the same answer as what Klinger was just asked. _"I think being away from home and having to deal with missing people so much that sometimes you just hug whatever you can find and pretend it's your mom…uh, I mean girlfriend." The company clerk chuckled nervously._

"_That's a very sweet thing to say." Clete caught on that the young man was slightly embarrassed and tried to lighten the subject. "Is there anyone at home you'd like to say hello to?"_

_The young man nodded. "I want to say hi to Mom and Uncle Ed, and also to Kate."_

"_Is Kate a special girl from back home?"_

"_Oh she's special, all right," Radar replied. _Kate blushed as Radar continued. _"She was one of the nurses here, and was like a sweet big sister to me. She married one of our surgeons about 8 months ago, and they've both been discharged. When Col. Blake was killed, Kate was one of the people who helped me get through it. See, the Colonel was like a father to me…and to Kate, too." He grinned bashfully. "She told me that once."_

"_Father, who do you miss the most from home?" _Cathy smiled as her big brother was being interviewed.

"_Oh, my family of course. My sister Cathy." _The young woman was rather surprised that he actually used her given name and not Angelica._ "The children I helped coach at the CYO…everyone from civilian life in general really."_

Caroline and the elder Charles were the next to see their loved one on the big screen._ "Tell me something about the people here." Clete and Charles were in the Swamp, in the corner of the tent that 'belonged' to the man whose turn it was to be interviewed. _

_Winchester sighed. "Well, there are some people, I will try…very hard…to forget, though I…never will. Of course, in a way I really don't think I would ever want to forget the people here. In all honesty I can't say that I liked them much at first, but as the days turned into weeks and the weeks turned into months, I have become…very close to some of these people, and will probably miss a certain few greatly when this mess is finally over." _Daintily Caroline dabbed at her eyes with a silk handkerchief at the sight of her son.

"_What do you miss the most, Captain?" _Peg sniffed softly as her husband, now with a cheesy mustache, turned out to be the next one interviewed. Kate reached over and squeezed her hand in support.

"_My wife's cooking," he replied, his grin bigger than ever. "What am I saying, anybody's cooking." BJ bit his lip, obviously trying to hold back some emotions with a joke. "My wife…and my little girl. Someday I'd really like to meet that kid…"_

"_It doesn't sound like you'll have to wait too much longer," the white-haired reporter threw in when his face was in a close-up._

"_I hope you're right."_

"_What about you, Captain Pierce, what do you miss the most?" _

"_My father," he replied. "And one of my best friend, Captain Trapper John McIntyre. We did our residency together in Boston, and then we worked together here."_

"_Where is Captain McIntyre?" Clete asked._

"_He got his discharge papers, about a week after he got married to one of the best nurses I've had the pleasure of knowing."_

_The camera went back to Clete. "Would you mind sharing the story? Corporal O'Reilly mentioned it, but I'm sure our viewers would be interested in the big picture."_

_The surgeon nodded. "Lt. Kate Boswell was transferred here almost a year ago. From the moment she and Trapper met, they clicked. It was obvious that they had something special. Trap was in the middle of a divorce, but Kate wasn't the reason for that. If anyone wants to argue that fact, they can take it up with everyone here." His eyes flashed for a moment. "After a lot of ups and a few downs, and once his divorce had been finalized for a month or so, Trapper proposed. Right in the middle of an OR session, too." Hawkeye chuckled at the memory, then grew serious. "That same day our commanding officer, Lt. Col. Henry Blake received his discharge papers. A few days later, Henry was killed when his plane was shot down. We were having an impromptu memorial service when Major Margaret Houlihan and Major Frank Burns found Kate and Trapper in the commander's office, filling out the forms to get married." His eyes shone. "Somehow we managed to plan a wedding in a half-hour's time. Radar even convinced the cook to make a cake. Klinger came up with some story to get Kate and Trapper into their Class A uniforms, and managed to waylay them long enough for us to get everything ready. For such little planning, it was a magnificent event. Trapper had even purchased rings the month before when he was on R&R in Tokyo."_

_Clete smiled. "That sounds like quite the event. They're both stateside now?"_

_Hawkeye nodded. "Trapper was sent home first, then Kate got a medical discharge because she's pregnant. She's due in a couple months."_

_Colonel Potter once again took the screen. "What is your opinion of the people around here?" Clete asked._

_Potter nodded. "I think I've become closer to these people than I ever have to anyone else I've worked with. These people aren't just coworkers, they're…family. It almost seems like I've adopted some of these kids around here." _

"_What memories do you think you will take home from the war?" This was a question Clete asked everyone he had interviewed._

_The Colonel thought for a moment. "Meeting all these fine people, and my mare, Sophie."_

"_Not the food!" Klinger laughed. "I'd have to say meeting some great people."_

"_The people," Radar replied. "All of them."_

_Margaret smiled. "Everyone I've met since I've been here." After a second, she laughed. "Well, almost everyone."_

"_Having the chance to meet these fine people," Charles admitted._

_Father Mulcahy smiled gently. "Knowing the fact that I've spread a bit of humanity to the children here, the children who need to know that there is humanity yet in this world. And getting the chance to meet a fine group of people."_

"_Having the honor of meeting new friends," BJ said without hesitation._

_Hawkeye thoughtfully scratched his chin. "Getting to know everyone who's come through the camp," he finally said. "There are two guys that I have the joy of calling my best friends. One's here with me, and the other is stateside. Could I say something to one of them?" When Clete nodded, Hawkeye turned to the camera. "Trapper, I wish I could be with you and Kate when the big day arrives, but the way things are going that's probably not going to happen. So, ah…be sure to let your extended family here in Korea know as soon as you can, okay? Maybe give us a call before you take Kate to the hospital or something." _The group chuckled at the remark; Trapper swiped at the sudden moisture welling in his eyes.

_Clete Roberts stood outside the OR as the members of the 4077__th__ bustled behind him. "The men and women of the 4077__th__ MASH are doing what they do best, in a place they'd rather not be." A chopper flew overhead as the picture faded to black._

There wasn't a dry eye in the room as the lights came up. Everyone hugged each other as the band started playing again; soon couples were dancing again. The party continued late into the night; in the early morning hours they started retiring to their rooms. Eventually Kate, Trapper, and Peg were the only partygoers left in the ballroom. "Think we should get the recording part done now, or wait until morning?" Peg asked.

Kate shrugged. "I'm game to get it done tonight if you are. Trapper, can you get the movie set up for us?"

**_TBC..._**

So, do you think Trapper will call the 4077th before he takes Kate to the hospital?


	27. Pains

A/N: I, the author of this story, hereby proclaim that I do not, I repeat, do not, own M*A*S*H. How's that for a disclaimer? lol. Before I forget, I referred to the hospital as Boston General a few chapters back. Since the full name is Boston Mercy General, and is more commonly referred to as Boston Mercy, it shall be called Boston Mercy from now on.

_Previously: Kate shrugged. "I'm game to get it done tonight if you are. Trapper, can you get the video set up for us?"_

"Okay, that sounds great, Peg," Kate said into the phone two weeks after the reunion party. "Tell Erin hi for me. Goodbye." Hanging up the phone, she turned to Trapper, who was playing Candy Land with Becky and Kathy in the living room. "Well, she got the package sent off the day after she got back to Mill Valley. It should be in Korea by now." Absently she rubbed her lower back. "So who wants what for supper?"

"Spaghetti!" Becky said.

"Pizza!" Kathy chimed in.

Trapper shook his head. "Girls, we're going for healthy, remember? There's still some of last night's meatloaf."

The girls groaned, and Kate laughed. "Actually, I had the rest of that for lunch," she admitted. "How about grilled cheese and tomato sandwiches and soup?" That was met with cheers from the girls, and Kate started searching for what she needed. Pulling the frying pan out of the cabinet, she paused to rub her back again.

Trapper noticed. "You okay, sweetheart?" he asked.

Kate nodded, but pain shadowed her eyes. "My back's been hurting off and on today. It'll pass."

Taking her word for it, Trapper turned back to the game. He was close to overtaking Becky's token when a sudden crash came from the kitchen. "Kate!" he called as he jumped up and hurried to the kitchen. Kate, her face pale, clung to the counter. The source of the crash was a pot that had been knocked to the floor. "Kate, what's wrong honey?"

"Pain just shot through my back," she said through gritted teeth. "This kid must be pressing on a nerve or something."

"Or something," Trapper echoed. "Kate, I think we'd better go to the hospital just in case."

Kate shook her head. "It'll pass…" She groaned, and Trapper instinctively grabbed her shoulders, supporting her. Finally, carefully, she straightened. "There, it's passed. Honey, I'm fine. Little one was just sitting wrong."

"Kate, I want you to sit down. Don't worry about supper," her husband instructed as he led her to the couch in the living room. Once he was sure Kate was comfortable, Trapper went upstairs to the master bedroom. Grabbing a suitcase with one hand, he dialed his ex-wife with the other. "Louise, it's John. Listen, I need to take Kate to the hospital. Can you take the girls for a while?"

"Of course I can," Louise answered, her voice sounding concerned. Despite her initial misgivings about the current Mrs. McIntyre, Louise had softened over the past few months, and the two women were now on friendly terms. "What's the matter?"

Trapper stretched the phone cord as he pulled clothes out of the dresser and closet. "I think she's going into early labor. I'll make sure Becky and Kathy have whatever they need from here."

There was silence on the line before Louise offered, "Why don't I come pick them up? Then you can go straight to the hospital."

"I'd appreciate that, Louise. Thank you," Trapper said before hanging up. Quickly he finished packing whatever he thought Kate would need. Closing the suitcase, he called for Becky and Kathy to pack whatever they would need for the next few days with their mother.

Kathy looked worried. "Daddy, is Kate leaving?"

Trapper knelt to wrap his arms around his little girl. "Of course not, honey. Your little brother or sister is getting impatient, so I'm taking Kate to the hospital in case he or she decides to come out. Okay?" When she nodded, he sent them to their room to pack their things. Carrying the suitcase downstairs, he set it beside the door before going to check on Kate. "How are you holding up, sweetheart?"

Her eyes closed, she drew a long breath in, then exhaled slowly. "I think I just had a contraction," she replied, opening fear filled eyes. "It's too early."

"I know it is, Kate. That's why we're going to the hospital, as soon as Louise picks up the girls." As she started to protest, Trapper held up a hand. "Just as a precaution, in case this little fellow decides that early is just fine." A knock on the door surprised him.

Louise was standing there when he opened the door. "I figured you'd want to hurry," she said as explanation. She smiled as Becky and Kathy hurried downstairs with their suitcases. They quickly hugged Kate and Trapper goodbye before leaving with their mother.

"All right, Mrs. McIntyre," Trapper said as he slid Kate's shoes on her feet before helping her up. "Let's get you to Boston Mercy."

**_TBC..._**

As Trapper told Kathy, Baby McIntyre is getting impatient!


	28. Better Make a Call, Trapper

A/N: *Insert usual disclaimer here*

_Previously: "All right, Mrs. McIntyre," Trapper said as he slid Kate's shoes on her feet before helping her up. "Let's get you to Boston Mercy."_

The drive was mercifully short; within twenty minutes he had the car parked in front of the hospital where they both worked. "Come on, I'll help you inside," he said as he got out of the car. Hurrying to the passenger side, he pulled open the door to find Kate doubled over in the seat, clutching her stomach.

"This one's strong," she managed to gasp, "and it's not stopping."

Trapper leaned in and slid his arms around her, carefully lifting her out of the car. Bumping the door shut with his hip, he carried Kate into the hospital. "Get me a wheelchair!" he called. An orderly quickly arrived with a chair, and Trapper gently lowered his wife into it. "Call Dr. Fletcher and let him know that we're on our way to the maternity floor," he said to the nurse at the duty desk as he wheeled Kate to the elevator.

Dr. George Fletcher, a distinguished doctor about the age of Daniel Pierce, opened the elevator doors when the car arrived at the maternity floor. Trapper had introduced them at a social function a few months back. "Hello, John," he said cordially. "I wasn't expecting to see you and Kate here for another month. What have we got?"

"She's been having back pain…" Trapper began.

"All day," Kate interrupted.

"All day," Trapper echoed, "and two very strong contractions thirty minutes apart. The latest one had her doubled up in the car."

Dr. Fletcher gestured to an empty room. "Well Kate, let's get you into a gown and see how things are progressing. I'll be back in a minute." He disappeared, and Trapper helped Kate out of the wheelchair; by the time Dr. Fletcher had returned to the room with a nurse, Kate was dressed in a hospital gown and easing onto the bed near the window. "Prop your feet in the stirrups, that's a girl," he said as he pulled a stool to the foot of the bed. Waiting until the nurse spread a light sheet over Kate's lower torso, he took a peek between her legs while Trapper held her hand. "Just as I thought," he murmured.

"What?" Trapper asked.

"She's dilated three centimeters," Dr. Fletcher replied as he stood, patting Kate's knee. Taking a feel of her rounded stomach, he shook his head. "You're 36 weeks along?" Kate nodded. "Well, we could give you a tocolytic medication to slow the labor down, or we could just let it progress, since the baby is developed enough to survive at this point. Ultimately it's your choice." Glancing at Trapper, he added, "I'll give you two a few moments to discuss is."

As the doctor stepped out of the room, Trapper pulled a chair over and sat down. "It's your decision, Kate," he said softly.

She sighed, rubbing her stomach gently as she thought. Finally she said, "Trapper, I think you need to make a phone call."

"What?"

"Call the 4077th. Hawkeye said to call before you took me to the hospital, remember? It's a little late for that, but…" She winced, and Trapper watched her with anxious eyes. "Don't worry," she muttered, "that wasn't a strong contraction. Anyway, I'm sure the crew would like to know that this little one will be making an appearance soon."

Trapper leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his wife's forehead. "I have to get your suitcase from the car, anyway," he reckoned. "I'll be back soon."

"I'm not planning to go anywhere," Kate replied saucily.

After Trapper had retrieved the suitcase from his car, he ran into Dr. Fletcher. "George, can I use your office?" he asked.

"Let me guess. You want to call Dr. Pierce." Dr. Fletcher chuckled at Trapper's surprised expression. "Son, I remember when you two were residents. You were inseparable then. Go ahead and use my phone. I'll take that," gesturing to the suitcase, "to Kate's room."

Stepping into the office, Trapper sank into the desk chair and picked up the phone, careful not to knock over the haphazardly stacked files and papers that cluttered the desk. After several long minutes he was finally patched through to Korea.

"4077th MASH." Radar's voice was tired, as it was early morning at the aid station.

"Radar, it's Trapper. Listen, get everyone into the office, okay? And let me talk to Hawkeye." Trapper waited; Radar was undoubtedly fetching the gang, and before long the sounds of voices filling the office.

Hawkeye came on the line. "Trap, couldn't you have waiting for dawn to get us out of bed?"

"Hawk, you remember what you said during the latest interview with Clete Roberts?" Trapper asked. "You said to let you know as soon as I could, maybe before I took Kate to the hospital. Remember that?"

"Wait a minute…are you saying that she's in labor?"

Trapper could hear the muted sounds of excited chatter when his friend said that. "We're going to be welcoming this little one pretty soon."

"Well listen, call us again as soon as you can after the baby comes, okay? Radar says we're gonna get cut off in…"

The sound died as the line was cut. Trapper shook his head as he hung the receiver up. By the time he got back to Kate's room, she was equipped with an IV. Settling into the chair, Trapper prepared for a long night.

**_TBC..._**

Hehe, even in labor Kate's got that fire! Funny tidbit: I was writing this chapter while listening to a rerun of _Murder, She Wrote_. For those of you unfamiliar with the show, the main character's name was Jessica Fletcher, and she wrote books under the name J.B. Fletcher. Therefore, Dr. George Fletcher!


	29. A MASH Matinee

A/N: What a great day! Spend the morning writing, the afternoon picking apples, and the evening after class writing again. The only way it'd be better is if I was presented with ownership of MASH tonight. Oh well... Enjoy!

_Previously: By the time he got back to Kate's room, she was equipped with an IV. Settling into the chair, Trapper prepared for a long night._

There were no wounded at the 4077th; the camp spent the sunny day catching up on laundry, sleeping, and in Hawkeye and BJ's case, drinking. Excitement had been buzzing since they got the phone call from Trapper that morning. They had gotten a baby pool going; Hawkeye had dibs on a 7 pound 4 ounce girl, while BJ was certain it was going to be an 8 pound 14 ounce boy. Radar, as usual, was in charge of the pool. He was collecting from Colonel Potter and Klinger when a jeep pulled into the compound. "Mail call, Sir," the driver said as he hefted a large box plus the mail bag into the office.

"Radar, let's get that thing open and see what it is," the colonel commanded. Radar pried the top of the box off, reached inside, and withdrew a film reel canister. That was followed by an audio reel canister, a box marked 'Refreshments', and a stack of letters with the Pierre Hotel logo on them. A quick glance at the envelopes revealed that there was an envelope for everyone who had family at the party. "Well would you look at that," Colonel Potter said, slapping his knee with happiness. "Radar, let's get the projector and screen set up in here. I'll talk to Charles about borrowing his tape recorder so we can hear what's going on. Then get everyone who had family at this little shindig in here."

Within moments Radar had the screen set up and was fumbling with the video reel when Hawkeye and BJ strode it. "I hear we're having a matinee show in here," Hawkeye said, claiming his favorite chair.

"We are if I can get this thing on here," Radar mumbled.

"Why don't you let me take care of that? I'm sure Potter gave you a few things to do for this, correct?" BJ asked as he stepped forward. Radar grinned slightly as he left the film to BJ's care and went into his office.

Soon the PA system crackled to life. "Attention! Will the following personnel please report to Colonel Potter's office: Major Winchester, Major Houlihan, Father Mulcahy, Colonel Potter, and Corporal Klinger. Please report to Colonel Potter's office."

Colonel Potter and Charles were the first to arrive; Charles was arguing about the use of the tape recorder Potter held. "Winchester, I didn't want to do this, but I'm going to give you a direct order: Relinquish your tape recorder for the afternoon. I can guarantee that it will be returned to you unharmed," the colonel said, ending the argument. "Radar, can you get the audio set up in this?"

"Ah, perhaps I may be allowed to get it set up?" Charles interjected. "At the very least, since it is my personal property." Before long both machines were queued up. Once Klinger, Margaret, and the padre entered the office and claimed seats, Radar switched off the light and started the movie and audio.

Peg's cheery voice filled the room over the whirring of Charles' tape recorder and the camp's projector. On the white screen, everyone from the party was waving from where they were dancing on the dance floor. _"Hello everyone! We all had a wonderful time at the party and, thanks to all of the help from the Pierre Hotel, we were able to put this little film together for you. We figured that, this way, it could almost be like you were here. First, though, you must open the box marked 'Refreshments', and share."_ Radar opened the box, which was filled with Peg's special rum cookies. Taking a couple, he passed the box around.

Everyone in the office, Charles excluded, smiled when Kate's voice was heard. _"It was really quite an event. Everyone got along famously, as if we'd all known each other for years." _Onscreen, the video came in closer to show all the partygoers. Charles groaned slightly when he saw his parents mingling and dancing with Radar's mom and Uncle Ed. Klinger was relieved to see that his parents looked happy, and smiled when he saw Abdul wave at the camera again. Kate's voice chimed in again. _"We can't begin to explain all the emotions we felt when we saw the Clete Roberts interview. That meant the world to us. There wasn't a dry eye in the house when the lights came back up. Hopefully there won't be time for Mr. Roberts to go back and do another interview."_

As the video passed around the crowd, Colonel Potter smiled when he saw his wife wave and mouth 'I love you, Sherm'. _"Mildred Potter is quite the dear sweetheart. She and Daniel Pierce danced the night away, but according to him, she couldn't stop talking about her Sherman." _BJ could hear the chuckles in Peg's voice, and he felt a pang of homesickness when he saw her mingling in the crowd, beautiful as ever in her ballgown.

"_Speaking of the elder Dr. Pierce…" _Kate chimed in as Hawkeye's carbon copy appeared on the screen, dancing with a woman who they couldn't see clearly, _"It's very evident as to where Hawkeye picked up his charm. Daniel charmed every lady here, including one of our very special guests." _

Hawkeye, who had been smiling as he watched his father dance onscreen, frowned. "Very special guest?" He glanced at BJ, who shrugged.

_"Think we should keep them in suspense, Peg?" _Kate's voice held a teasing note.

Peg giggled, reminding BJ of the schoolgirl he'd fallen in love with. _"I'm sure they're curious…"_

Radar, Klinger, and Hawkeye cheered and Father Mulcahy smiled as Trapper's unmistakable voice cut in. _"If you don't tell them soon, they're going to see." _Onscreen, Daniel finally turned to reveal his attractive dance partner. _"Hawk, Radar, you should recognize Lorraine Blake. She and I shared a lot of stories about Henry."_

The O'Reillys and the Winchesters returned on the screen, waving. Peg's voice once again filled the room. _"Ed and Edna really hit it off with Caroline and Charles and ended up leading everyone in the Charleston. In fact, the Winchesters have invited Radar and his family to their house in Cape Cod the first summer that he's back from Korea."_ Again, laughter erupted from most everyone in the room, except for the pompous surgeon.

"_Margaret, you needn't have worried about your parents while they were here," _Kate said on the audio as the camera view cut to Al and Martha dancing contently together. _"If you hadn't mentioned anything, no one would have been the wiser."_

Cathy Mulcahy came on the screen shortly after the O'Reillys and Winchesters started dancing again. She smiled widely and gave a shy wave, mainly to her brother. _"Cathy really had the joint jumping with her sax and is a truly amazing person who we all enjoyed being around very much."_ Father Mulcahy smiled proudly.

The video cut to Peg dancing with a man with a dark complexion. _"Don't worry, BJ. Dancing with Klinger's Uncle Abdul was fun, but I can't wait to dance with you again." _Onscreen, Peg blew a kiss to the camera before it moved to show another dancing couple, who smiled and waved. _"Meeting Butch and Hala Klinger brought about another surprise," _Peg's voice began, before Trapper cut in.

_"Abdul had some help with translating. One of the guests holds a degree in linguistics, and as a special treat, that person is going to pass on a message from Hala to Klinger."_

Everyone looked at Klinger curiously as Kate spoke rapidly in Arabic. Before Klinger could speak, she translated: _"What she wanted me to tell her son was that she's known all along that he was in Korea; she never mentioned it because she didn't want him to worry about her. She also thinks the pictures he sends are very funny, and that she would like them to continue."_

Klinger smiled. "I never could fool that woman," he said fondly. "Hawkeye, Radar, Father, did any of you know that about Kate?" They all shook their heads as Kate and Trapper appeared onscreen. Kate waved and blew a kiss while Trapper flashed his familiar crooked grin.

_"Now there's a great looking couple,"_ Trapper said on the audio, causing the office to fill with laughter. They did look great together, Trapper in his tuxedo and Kate in her strapless ballgown.

Kate's musical laughter preceded her words. _"He's so modest, isn't he? You can see how certain things have changed since I left the 4077__th__." _Onscreen, Kate and Trapper moved apart, and a collective gasp escaped the group when they saw how large Kate had gotten over the months. _"I can't wait for this little one to get here, so I can tell him or her about the great group of people that I am honored to call my family. And so that I can wear my normal clothes again!"_

The video panned out to show the entire gathering again as they waved goodbye. _"So that was our very special 4077th Family Reunion party,"_ Peg's voice returned to fill the room. _"I made many new, great friends and was finally able to share all of my feelings about you, BJ, being over there in Korea to people that would actually understand what I'm going through. I can't tell you how much that helped me…and everyone else here. Just remember you guys, we love you more than words can describe and can't wait to see you again."_

_"Your families all wrote letters after we finally staggered to our rooms, completely danced and mingled out," _Kate said. _"No one wanted to say goodbye, but at least we won't have to just yet. There are a few more things planned for the weekend, including a complimentary farewell dinner that the hotel is throwing for us!" _Chuckles rippled through the small office as the audio recording ended with Kate saying, _"Stay safe, and come home soon."_

As the screen went dark, Radar flipped the lights on. Silence filled the room as everyone wiped tears from their eyes. Quietly Charles turned off his tape recorder, grateful that Colonel Potter had ordered him to relinquish it for the event. Colonel Potter passed out the letters that came with the video, and one by one the group retreated to their respective tents to read their family's take on the party.

**_TBC..._**

See, I promised that we hadn't seen the last of the gang at the 4077th! And yes, we'll see them again soon :)


	30. It's Time

A/N: It's a bittersweet feeling, knowing that this will be over in a few more chapters. Almost as bittersweet as watching MASH and knowing I'll never own it.

_Previously: Colonel Potter passed out the letters that came with the video, and one by one the group retreated to their respective tents to read their family's take on the party._

Kate's labor had progressed through the night; she passed on taking anything for the pain, which meant her sleep was intermittent at best. "I don't want anything to affect the baby," she explained to Dr. Fletcher and Trapper. She was up and down throughout the night, alternating between walking the halls, pacing the room, and resting in the bed. The sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon when her water broke, at which point the contractions steadily grew closer together.

"Trapper? Trapper, wake up." Her tired voice was urgent. Trapper's eyes flew open as Kate groaned. He turned to see her curled on her side on top of the pink hospital blanket, holding her stomach. Sitting up, he reached for her hand.

"How close are they?" he asked softly, brushing hair off her sweaty forehead.

Her breathing eased as the contraction passed. "Every few minutes or so, and they're getting stronger."

"Dr. Fletcher was trying to get some sleep in his office. Think it's time to get him?" Trapper suggested as he stood up, stretching his back in the process.

"I think so," she said, then gasped as another contraction hit her. "Holy…" The rest of her sentence came out as a strangled groan as she clutched her stomach again.

Sticking his head out the door, Trapper hollered at the nurse to get Dr. Fletcher. "More like every few seconds, Kate," he said as he came back to her bedside.

"Trap, it's not stopping. I have to push…" Her face was white, her eyes squeezed shut with pain.

Dr. Fletcher hurried into the room with Nurse Jones. "Sounds like you're about ready," he remarked as Kate groaned again. "Let's take a look." Trapper helped Kate onto her back so the doctor could see. "Okay, Kate, you're fully dilated," he noted. "Take a deep breath and push."

Kate closed her eyes and bared down, gripping the bed rails so hard her knuckles turned white. A strangled scream tore from her throat.

"Push…push…push…and relax," Nurse Jones coached. "Dad, maybe you should go out to the waiting room?"

Trapper shook his head. "I'm staying here," he retorted. Turning to Kate, he mopped the sweat off her forehead with a damp cloth. "Breathe, sweetheart," he said reassuringly. "You're doing great."

"Get ready to push again," the doctor warned.

Kate took a quick breath and pushed again. Another scream escaped her lips as her body trembled from the exertion of pushing through the pain. Finally, panting, she fell back against the bed.

Trapper rubbed the top of Kate's hand. "Hold my hand, sweetheart."

Wearily Kate shook her head. "You're…a surgeon…you need your hands," she managed to say between pants as he dabbed at her forehead with the cloth again.

Fifty minutes of pushing later, Dr. Fletcher looked up with shining eyes. "There's a head of hair down here," he announced. "A few more strong pushes, Kate. You can do it."

Kate groaned. "I can't…" She leaned against Trapper, who was supporting her back so she could sit up.

"Yes you can, Kate," Trapper and the doctor enthused together. "Push!"

Taking a deep breath, Kate pushed with all her might. Trapper could feel the strain through her body; her scream echoed through the room, followed by unintelligible words as she started cursing in various languages.

"Keep pushing! It's crowning!" Kate's foreign cursing grew louder, and Trapper could only guess that the head was almost out. "The head's out!" the doctor called a moment later. "And the cord is clear. Just a couple more pushes, okay?"

Trapper massaged Kate's shoulders. "Almost there, sweetheart," he enthused. "Lean against me and push, honey."

"You're bearing the next one," Kate growled before cursing in what Trapper guessed was French. Straining, she pushed first one shoulder out, then the other. Trapper felt her go limp as the baby slid into Dr. Fletcher's waiting arms.

A tiny yet angry cry filled the air as the doctor wrapped the baby in a soft towel that Nurse Jones handed to him. Trapper's eyes filled with joyous tears as Dr. Fletcher carefully placed the little bundle into the very tired, yet very happy new mother's arms. "Congratulations, Kate, John," he said. "Here's your son."

Kate smiled, tears streaming freely down her face. "Our son," she whispered to Trapper. "We have another son."

Trapper watched his wife cradle their son, smiling as the little pink face scrunched up with another angry cry. "He's perfect," Trapper said softly as he cradled the small head in his large hand. Pressing a kiss to Kate's temple, he held his new family in his arms. The nurse reached for the baby as Dr. Fletcher cut the cord; she whisked him across the room to check his vital signs. Trapper helped Kate ease down on the pillows. "He's beautiful, sweetheart. You did great," he told her, his voice full of emotion. He stroked her sweaty hair as the doctor murmured to the newborn across the room. "You can rest now." As could he; although this was his third child born, it was the first time he had seen the actual birth, much less helped with it. Trapper understood now why it was called the miracle of childbirth. He wanted to scream to the world that his wife, his beautiful, strong wife had given him another son, one that would live and grow.

"Trapper…" Kate grabbed his arm, bringing him back from his thoughts of running to the roof of the hospital. "Something's not right."

**_TBC..._**

I can see Trapper wanting to run to the roof and shout to the world. I mean, if he can run naked through the mess tent when he gets his discharge papers...lol. So what's going to happen next?


	31. Something's Wrong

A/N: And here's the next chapter! As usual, I don't own MASH.

_Previously: "Trapper…" Kate grabbed his arm, bringing him back from his thoughts of running to the roof of the hospital. "Something's not right."_

Trapper's heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean? What's not right?" he asked, searching her face.

"I mean, something's not right. It feels…" Kate's breathing grew ragged as her eyes filled with tears.

"What does it feel like, sweetheart?"

"Like what I just went through!" She groaned, grabbing at the rails of the bed again. "I think there's a second round here."

Trapper blanched. "Are you sure it's not the placenta?" he asked, a thousand thoughts racing through his mind.

Kate violently shook her head. "I need to push again," she gasped out before the pain made her scream.

Dr. Fletcher was almost finished with his examination when Kate's scream caused him to turn. "Nurse, take this little guy to the nursery and have Dr. Baxter clean him up and give him a full examination," he ordered before hurrying across the room. "What's the matter, Kate?"

"I think…" Kate began, but a fresh wave of pain cut her words off.

"There may be another baby, George," Trapper finished, his hazel eyes filled with worry as his wife groaned in pain.

The doctor met Trapper's gaze. "That would explain why the labor started early." Pulling his stethoscope out of his pocket, he put the buds in his ears and placed the chest-piece against Kate's abdomen. "There's another heartbeat, kids. Okay, Kate, I know this isn't what you want to hear, but don't push just yet until I can see where you're at."

"You have got to be kidding me," Kate growled at Dr. Fletcher called out the door for the nurse to bring another bassinet. "I just went through the worst…" A fresh wave of pain interrupted her; when she could breathe normally again, her tone had shifted. "Not that this isn't amazing…I can't believe this is happening…" She reached for Trapper's hand. "How am I going to do this again?"

Quickly the doctor got to the foot of the bed in preparation for round two. "This little one's impatient. It's about ready to crown. John, get behind her again," Dr. Fletcher instructed. "Kate, get ready to push."

Trapper helped Kate sit up so he could slide onto the bed behind her. "Okay, sweetheart, lean against me again. You can do this."

Kate groaned as she started pushing again. "Tell me…this is going…to be quicker," she gasped as she took a quick break from pushing.

"Breathe, honey," Trapper urged, feeling her body trembling with exhaustion. "You're doing great." He mopped Kate's forehead with a damp cloth again, his own hands trembling. In the past months he and Kate had joked about how big the baby was going to be; neither of them thought that twins would be a possibility.

"Kate, another couple strong pushes and you'll be able to see your baby," Dr. Fletcher announced.

"I'm almost out of strong pushes," she retorted, her voice shaking as she pushed again. After straining for what seemed like an eternity, she rested for a few seconds. "How's our son?"

Trapper rubbed her shoulders, trying to help in any way that he could. "This is the best maternity ward in the city, with the best doctors. He's in good hands. Let's worry about this one…push!" With another two pushes, the head was out. "C'mon, sweetheart, you're almost there."

"I can't," Kate whispered, her voice hoarse.

"Yes you can," Trapper countered. "You're strong enough to handle this." As a strangled sob escaped his wife, he leaned closer. "Kate, I know you can do this. When you first came to the 4077th, you were thrown right into hell with the wounded, and you came out triumphant. When you were shot by the sniper, you kept yourself alive until I could find you. Only someone strong could do that. You can do this. I know you can."

Taking a deep breath, Kate pushed with all the strength she had. "That's it, Kate, there's a shoulder," the doctor exclaimed. "Almost there…keep pushing…the other shoulder's out…a little bit more…" A strong, fierce cry wailed in the room as Dr. Fletcher gently grasped the tiny baby in his hands. "You've got a little girl here," he said.

Trapper smiled as he watched his new daughter squirming in Dr. Fletcher's confident hold. "She's beautiful…just like her mother. Look at her, Kate." When she didn't answer, Trapper glanced down. "Kate? Oh god, Kate!"

**_TBC..._**

Bwahahahaha! I end with another cliffhanger!


	32. Hemorrhaging

A/N: Here's the next--albeit short--chapter! Let's find out what happens to Kate, shall we? Of course, I don't own MASH.

_Previously: "She's beautiful…just like her mother. Look at her, Kate." When she didn't answer, Trapper glanced down. "Kate? Oh god, Kate!"_

All color was gone from Kate's skin. Her head rested limply against Trapper's chest, eyes closed. Trapper reached for her neck, his fingers trembling slightly as he found her carotid. Her pulse was weak; her chest barely rose and fell with shallow breaths. "George, what's going on?"

At Trapper's exclamation Dr. Fletcher had handed the newborn off to Nurse Jones and turned his attention back to Kate. "She's hemorrhaging, John," he said as he quickly assessed the situation. "I need to get the placenta out and put a catheter in. Lay her flat and monitor her breathing and pulse. Nurse Jones, get some oxytocin in her, stat." Quickly the nurse injected the drug into Kate's IV; after removing the placenta and inserting the catheter, Dr. Fletcher performed a uterine massage in an attempt to contract the uterus. "How's her pulse?"

"Still weak," Trapper said. "Can you stop the bleeding?"

Dr. Fletcher slowly nodded after a moment. "The medication and massage is helping. I think she's going to be okay, but we may have to give her a unit of blood. Nurse Jones, find out what her blood type is and get some up from the blood bank."

"She's type A," Trapper called to the nurse as she left the room. "George, what do you think caused the hemorrhaging?"

"It could be a number of things," the doctor said, still massaging. "My guess is that something tore while she was pushing. These things usually heal themselves." He continued the massage until Nurse Jones returned with a unit of A blood. Kate's breathing increased and color slowly returned to her pale face as the life-giving fluid flowed into her.

Reaching for her throat, Trapper was relieved to feel her pulse thudding steadily against his fingers. "Her pulse is getting stronger," he noted, relieved as he pulled his hand back.

"That's good," Dr. Fletcher replied. "She should be out of the woods now."

Just then Kate's eyes fluttered open. She looked first at Dr. Fletcher, who had bright red blood smeared on his hands and gown, then at Trapper, who stood beside her with worry in his eyes. "What happened?" she murmured as she struggled to sit up. Trapper quickly adjusted the head of the bed so she could sit easily.

"You hemorrhaged and lost some blood," Dr. Fletcher replied. "Luckily, with some oxytocin and uterine massage, I was able to stop the bleeding." Stripping his bloodstained gloves and gown off, he tossed them in the trash can near the door. "I want to keep you under close observation and on the medication for at least the next day. Under no circumstances are you to get out of bed, which is why you've got a catheter in place."

Kate reached out, and Trapper took her hand in his, squeezing it reassuringly. "When can we see our babies?" she asked as Trapper pulled the chair close to the bed and sat down.

"Dr. Baxter is checking them out right now," the doctor assured just as someone knocked on the door.

Nurse Jones stepped into the room, wheeling in a bassinet. "There's someone here who'd like to see his parents," she said softly. Carefully she reached into the bassinet and lifted out the newborn, wrapped in a soft blue blanket. She handed him to Kate, who gently cradled her son to her breast.

"Do you know what you're going to name him?" Dr. Fletcher asked as the nurse left the room.

"Henry," Trapper said without hesitation. "Named for our late commanding officer."

Kate nodded, watching her little one. "We knew if the baby was a boy, he'd be named Henry." Glancing at Trapper, she smiled gently. "We haven't picked out a name for a girl, though."

Dr. Fletcher smiled. "Why don't you think about that while I go talk to Dr. Baxter? I'll check on your little girl, too." When Trapper nodded without looking away from his wife and son, the doctor quietly slipped out of the room.

**_TBC..._**

You know I couldn't kill her!


	33. Naming the Twins

A/N: Two more chapters after this! I don't know whether to be excited or sad. Oh yeah, and I don't own MASH.

_Previously: When Trapper nodded without looking away from his wife and son, the doctor quietly slipped out of the room._

Trapper couldn't tear his gaze away from Kate and little Henry, who was contently nursing. The tiny boy had a shock of blonde hair under the blue knit cap and the blue-gray eyes typical of newborns. "I think he's got your nose, Kate," he said softly.

"Oh yeah," she agreed. "But he's got your chin." Softly she stroked Henry's rosy little cheek. "I have the feeling he's going to be a little version of you, Trap…a ladies man." Shifting slightly, she leaned her head back against the pillows, fatigue showing in her face. "I have an idea for his middle name."

"So do I," Trapper replied. "What was your idea?"

"Ramon. It's Greek for 'mighty'. What's yours?"

"Benjamin." He had thought briefly about suggesting the name Kim, but ultimately decided against it.

Kate studied her son before turning to Trapper. "I think he can handle a strong name," she said. "Henry Ramon Benjamin McIntyre."

"Henry Ramon Benjamin McIntyre," Trapper echoed, turning it over in his mind. Looking at the tiny boy, he grinned. "He'll grow into it." Leaning forward, he placed a gentle hand against the blanket. "Okay, Henry, now we need to name your sister. Any suggestions?" Henry ignored his father as he continued feasting. "Kate, what was your mother's name?"

"Malina Kali," Kate said. "Malina is Greek for 'gentle one', and Kali is Romanian for 'goddess'."

Trapper pressed a kiss to his wife's lips. "What do you think of Anne Malina Kali? Anne was my mother's name."

Now it was Kate's turn to repeat the name. "Anne Malina Kali McIntyre…I like it. Two good, strong names for two strong little ones." Henry squirmed in her arms, finished with his 'drink at the bar', as his uncle Hawkeye would say.

"Here, let me take him," Trapper said, wanting to hold his son. Raising Henry to his shoulder, he gently patted his little back; Henry rewarded his father with a healthy belch. "That's my boy. Why don't you take a nap, sweetheart?" Seeing that Kate was about to protest, he shook his head. "Trust me, you're going to want to rest as much as you can. Henry and I aren't going anywhere." As Kate's eyes drifted shut, Trapper studied his son's face, grinning when the tiny mouth stretched in a yawn. He remembered how he'd felt the first time he held Becky and later Kathy: excited, elated, nervous, proud.

Standing, Trapper slowly walked around the room, cradling Henry close to his chest. "I'm your daddy, Henry," he said softly, not wanting to wake Kate, who had quickly fallen asleep. "You've got two big sisters at home who can't wait to meet you and a couple uncles sure to spoil you rotten when they get home from Korea." The movement had lulled the infant to sleep, so Trapper dropped his voice to a whisper. "Your namesake was a swell guy, so I want you to wear your name proudly. Henry Blake'd be pleased as punch to see you."

A knock on the door interrupted Trapper; Dr. Fletcher stepped into the room. He smiled at the sight of the father cradling his son. "I wanted to ask you something, John, if you don't mind." Sitting in the chair beside the bed, he spoke quietly. "It's about a couple of things you two said during the deliveries."

"Shoot."

"Kate said you had another son. I was under the impression that these two were your first children together. And you said something about how she got shot by a sniper."

Trapper was quiet for a moment before he answered. "About five months after we met, Kate found out she was pregnant. That same day a sniper shot up the camp. Most of us were trapped in the OR, but Kate had gone for a walk; she took a bullet in the side." He shook his head, the images still in his mind. "I did the surgery myself…saw all the damage that one little bullet did. I was able to save everything but the baby. Hawkeye put together a funeral so we could bury him…Marko." Glancing at the baby sleeping in his arms, Trapper smiled. "But if we hadn't gone through that, we might not have Henry and Anne."

A look of confusion crossed the elder doctor's face, then he nodded. "Henry and Anne…those are good names, although I'm partial to George, myself." The two men shared a chuckle. "Well, Henry's the bigger of the two, weighing in at 4 pounds 14 ounces. Anne weighs 4 pounds 1 ounce. For twins, that's a good size. Frankly I'm surprised she didn't go into labor sooner, since that's common for multiple births."

Trapper nodded his agreement. "When can I see Anne?" he questioned.

Dr. Fletcher stood. "I'll have a nurse bring her in. I suppose you'll want to call Pierce soon? Go ahead and use the phone in here, so Kate can talk to them too." With a wink he added jokingly, "I'll just have the charge taken out of your pay."

Within moments Nurse Jones wheeled the bassinet with a sleeping Anne into the room. "Do you want to keep both of them in here?" she asked softly as she moved the bassinet next to Henry's. "Usually we don't allow it, but Dr. Fletcher said he'd clear it with administration."

Trapper nodded, and as the nurse left the room he gently settled Henry into his bassinet; the tiny boy shifted slightly but didn't wake. The proud papa stood and watched the infants sleep. Anne's face was almost a perfect miniature of Kate's, while Henry had his father's strong jawline and his mother's high cheekbones. Peeking under the soft knit pink cap, Trapper smiled at the sight of the jet black fuzz on Anne's head. "Just like your mother," he whispered. "Will you get her eyes or mine?" His eyes growing heavy, Trapper sank into the chair beside Kate's bed, made himself comfortable, and allowed himself to doze.

**_TBC..._**

The twins are named. Henry Ramon Benjamin and Anne Malina Kali...what do you think?


	34. Baby Pool Results

A/N: One more glimpse into Korea in this chapter! And no, I don't own MASH.

_Previously: His eyes growing heavy, Trapper sank into the chair beside Kate's bed, made himself comfortable, and allowed himself to doze._

A thin cry broke through Trapper's slumber; he shot straight up in the chair as Kate stirred in her bed. "Which one is it?" she asked groggily as Trapper crossed over to the bassinets.

"It's Anne," he replied, gently picking up the little girl so she wouldn't wake Henry.

Kate smiled as Trapper tried to soothe the fussing baby. "She's probably hungry," she said, adjusting the pillows behind her. Anne immediately settled to nursing as soon as she was in Kate's arms. "Do you think it's too late to call the gang?" Kate asked as Trapper settled back into the chair after checking on Henry.

He glanced at his watch. "I think we'll be in trouble if we don't!" Picking up the phone, he dialed the operator and started the tedious procedure of calling Korea. After many moments he was patched through to Sparky, who patched him through to the 4077th.

In Korea, Radar pounced on the ringing phone. "4077th MASH."

"Hiya Radar. How's Korea?" Trapper's Boston accent was unmistakable.

Radar grinned. "Trapper! Did Kate have the baby? How is she?" The young corporal was nervous, wanting to hear about the woman he thought of as his sister.

"Kate's doing great. I'd hand the phone to her, but she's got her hands full."

"Holy cow!" Setting the phone down, Radar rushed to the door and hollered to the nearest person to find Hawkeye and BJ; they'd get the rest. "Hang on, I'm getting everyone in here for the news."

Trapper's chuckle carried through the line. "You've got a baby pool going, don't you?"

Radar heard a muffled conversation between Trapper and Kate as he waited for the others to come to the office. Poking his head into the commander's office, he said, "Colonel Potter, Sir, the call came through."

The colonel looked up from his paperwork. "Well, Son, let's hear it!" Realizing that Radar still had them on the line, he hurried into the smaller office; Father Mulcahy, Klinger, Charles, Margaret, BJ, and Hawkeye soon crowded into the company clerk's office.

"He said that he'd hand the phone to Kate, but her hands were full," Radar said before pressing the phone to his ear again. "They're all here now, Trapper." Listening for a moment, the young man smiled. "It's a boy…they named him Henry, after Colonel Blake. Henry Ramon Benjamin McIntyre. Trapper says Henry's got Kate's nose and his chin, and blonde hair." Everyone cheered at the news.

"What'd he weigh?" Hawkeye asked, slightly disappointed that he hadn't chosen a boy for the baby pool but honored that his friends had given his name to their son.

Relaying the query, Radar replied, "Four pounds, 14 ounces."

As the room filled with hushed chatter, Hawkeye turned to BJ. "That's small," he said with a frown. "Remember how big she was in the movie?"

"And the pictures," BJ added, concern filling his eyes. A gasp from Radar brought all eyes back to him. "What is it, Radar?"

"Trapper just said that…" The young corporal's eyes shone. "They had a little girl, too. She weighs four pounds one ounce, and Trapper says she's a tiny replica of Kate, with black hair and everything."

Cheers once again filled the office. "What'd they name her?" Margaret asked.

"Twins…that makes more sense," BJ said to Hawkeye as they waited for Radar to relay the response.

"They named her Anne Malina Kali McIntyre, after their mothers." After a moment Radar's eyes lit up even further. "Kate? How're you doing? Yeah, hang on and I'll find it." He searched his desk for a piece of paper. "Um, well, I think we'll have to have two winners, huh? Since you had twins…anyway, Father Mulcahy was closest for the boy, with 6 pounds, 3 ounces, and…oh wow. I won for the girl; I said she'd be 7 pounds." He passed the phone around so everyone could speak quickly with the new parents before the connection was cut off.

Back in Boston, Kate leaned back against the pillows as Trapper hung up the phone. "I wish they could be here," she said softly as to not wake Anne, who had fallen asleep after nursing her fill.

"I do too, sweetheart," Trapper replied, peeking in on Henry. The tiny boy was awake and looking at everything with his big blue-gray eyes. "Once this lousy war is over and everyone's stateside, we'll get them all over here." He turned to look at Kate, who smiled that smile that he had fallen in love with.

"At least the war is over for us."

Trapper flashed his own crooked grin. "The war is behind us, and we've got our new life ahead."

**_TBC..._**

Doesn't Father Mulcahy win almost every pool the camp has? lol! One chapter left, folks. But the good news is that it's a nice, loooooong chapter.


	35. Epilogue

A/N: Here it is, the final chapter of this story. Thanks to everyone who's read it and left comments; I really appreciate your kind words and encouragement. I'll do more MASH fanfics, but for the time being I'm going to turn my attention to finishing my CSI fic. For the final time in this story, I don't own MASH. Oh, and we'll find out here why the house is so big :)

_Five years later…_

Trapper stood waiting in the terminal of Boston's Logan airport one fine July day, waiting for flight 814 from Toledo to land, as well as flight 1699 from Philadelphia. It was his second trip to the airport that day, and he had quickly gotten bored reading the same posters and advertisements on the walls. Trapper allowed his mind to drift back over the last five years.

Henry and Anne had grown in leaps and bounds. Anne was indeed the perfect miniature of Kate, right down to her mischievous green eyes, black locks, and ivory skin. The only hints of her father were her tumbling curls and impish behavior. Henry had the same energy Trapper had at his age; already he could outrun most of the young boys in the neighborhood. His hazel eyes had sparkled the past Christmas when he unwrapped the football from his uncle Hawkeye, although the little boy didn't understand the ensuing 'discussion' between the adult men about the merits of playing for Dartmouth rather than Androscoggin. The twins would start kindergarten in the fall.

Kathy and Becky still alternated weeks between Trapper and Kate, and Louise and her new husband. The girls fell instantly in love with their tiny siblings when Kate and Trapper finally brought them home from the hospital…of course, so had everyone else. Becky had appointed herself primary babysitter for the twins, although Kathy would claim the title herself when Becky wasn't around to hear.

When the twins were two years old, Trapper gave in to the pleas of his older girls and—with Kate's permission—brought home a collie puppy. True to modern times, Becky and Kathy instantly christened her Lassie.

Trapper chuckled to himself as he recalled an evening not too long after he had brought Lassie home…

_After Kate put the twins to bed, she challenged him to a few hands of poker, using peanuts in the place of betting chips. As the evening passed and the pile of peanuts dwindled in front of them, Trapper declared the next game to be the last for the night. "How did your clinic appointment go this afternoon?" he asked, scrutinizing the cards he'd been dealt. "I'll take two."_

"_It was fine. Nothing that I hadn't already concluded myself," Kate responded, a twinkle in her green eyes as she innocently studied her cards before taking two for herself. "Whatcha going to bet?"_

_Trapper compared the pile of peanuts in front of him to the pile in front of his wife. "I raise by half my pile," he decided, pushing the peanuts towards the middle of the table._

_Kate smiled as she slowly pushed her entire pile towards his. "All in. Let's see 'em."_

"_Read 'em and weep, gorgeous. Full house, kings over sevens," Trapper said as he revealed his cards with a flourish. "Only two hands can beat that."_

"_I'm well aware of that. And…" she laid down her cards, "I believe that four of a kind is one of those hands. How ironic that we ended with those hands."_

_Trapper chuckled. "How is that ironic, Lady Luck?"_

_Kate smiled at his nickname for her; it was one that only came out during poker games. "Want to make a wager?" she asked, momentarily avoiding his question._

"_That was the last game, remember?"_

_She ignored that. "How much do you want to bet that we'll have a full house in seven months? Or do you think we'll end up with four of a kind?" _

_Trapper shook his head as he swept the cards into his hands. "Why are we betting on a game seven months from…" His voice trailed off as her words hit home. "Are you…are we…"_

_Kate nodded. "You bet your bootstraps, Big John."_

It had proven to be four of a kind with the arrival of Grace Adara McIntyre. Now three years old, Grace was the calmest of the children; she often had a dreamy look in her hazel eyes. Like her sister, she had inherited Kate's black locks and Trapper's curls. Her middle name, which Kate had explained meant 'beautiful' in Greek, certainly suited the little girl.

Since the birth of the twins, Kate cut back her schedule at the hospital; when Grace was born she resigned completely and was content to be a stay-at-home mother. She kept herself busy by repainting and renovating the extra rooms in the massive house. After many long months, the house was now completely made over and ready for visitors.

"Flight 814 from Toledo is now landing. Passengers will be arriving through Gate 12."

The announcement over the loudspeaker brought Trapper out of his reverie, and he started walking towards the gate. As he approached he heard his name being shouted. Searching the departing passengers, Trapper grinned when he spotted Klinger and a Korean woman—his wife—breaking away from the crowd. "Klinger! Good to see ya again!" The two men hugged, slapping each others' backs as they greeted each other. "And you must be Soon-Lee," Trapper said as he turned to greet Klinger's wife. "Kate's looking forward to meeting you."

"I am anxious to meet her, too," Soon-Lee replied. "Max has told me a great deal about you and Kate." She smiled at Klinger. "I am also anxious to see the others again as well."

"It looks like being back in America is agreeing with you, Klinger."

The Lebanese man laughed. "It sure is! I tell ya, there's nothing better than waking up in my own bed, instead of an Army cot. I've been introducing Soon-Lee to the best parts of Toledo, like Paco's Hot Dogs and the Mudhens." He wrapped his arm around his wife. "So who all's here so far?"

"Well, both BJ and Frank and their families flew in yesterday afternoon. Radar and his wife and Lorraine Blake and the kids got in at 9:30 on the same flight, and the Potters came in at 10:15. You two just arrived, and Sidney and Father Mulcahy are coming on the same flight, which is due to land…" He cast a glance at his watch, "in about ten minutes. Charles and his fiancée should be at the house by the time we get back, and that should account for everybody."

"What about Hawkeye and Margaret?" Soon-Lee asked.

Trapper grinned. "They came on the Boston-Maine Express on Wednesday so they could help get everything set up." With a chuckle he added, "Well, Margaret helped as much as she could."

Just then the loudspeaker blared, "Flight 1699 from Philadelphia is now landing. Passengers will be arriving at gate 7."

"Looks like we'll be getting to the house sooner than I thought," Trapper noted as he glanced at his watch again. The trio made their way to gate 7, arriving as first of the passengers started exiting the plane. After a few moments Sidney Freedman and Father Mulcahy strolled into view. Trapper noticed that Sidney was using his hands more as he spoke to the padre; he and Kate had heard about the explosion that had robbed the man of his hearing. He waved to the two, who veered out of the throng of passengers and made their way to the trio.

"You three are a sight for sore eyes," Sidney said as a greeting.

Trapper grinned. "It's good to see you too, Sidney." Raising his voice, he leaned closer to Father Mulcahy. "How was the flight, Father?"

The padre smiled, the same smile he had bestowed upon Trapper back in Korea. "The flight was fine, Trapper, but there's no need to yell. I can hear you just fine."

"But...Kate and I had heard…I mean…" Trapper was at a loss for words.

"You heard correct. I did lose my hearing before leaving Korea. I spent a few years ministering to and teaching the deaf before learning of a new surgical procedure that could repair the damage here in the states. The surgery, as you can see, was a success."

Sidney chuckled. "You can imagine my surprise when the good Father turned down the car radio on the way to the airport, saying it was too loud."

With a final glance at his watch, Trapper gestured towards the luggage carousel. "Well, how about we get your luggage and head out to the house? Kate's looking forward to seeing you all again."

Within a half hour the members of the 4077th were reunited and mingling in the McIntyre backyard. Hawkeye and BJ—who, upon Peg's insistence, had shaved his moustache—had fired up the grill while Trapper was picking up the last group of travelers; now the former Swamp-mates were manning the grill while Kate kept everyone supplied with drinks, all the while keeping an eye on the children running around.

"So Hawk, what'll ya have? We've got liver, or fish," Trapper said innocently.

Hawkeye stared at Trapper. "I didn't hear you say that," he said. "Because it's impossible. It's inhuman. I haven't eaten liver or fish since I left Korea. I can't stand for it. I won't stand for it. I want something else. _We _want something else. Right? We want something else! We want something else!" Within seconds he had almost everyone chanting the mantra: "We want something else! We want something else!"

Kate laughed as she went to defuse the situation. "Relax, Hawkeye, I wouldn't let him do that to you," she said. "That's cruel and unusual punishment." Margaret, resting in a lounge chair nearby, chuckled as Kate continued. "We made a special order of spareribs for today, from a little place in Chicago."

"Chicago? You don't mean…"

Trapper nodded. "Seems this place serves these ribs with a flamboyant, devil-may-care yet introspective barbeque sauce."

Hawkeye grabbed BJ's arm, since he happened to be standing nearby. "You got Adam's Ribs? Succulent, finger-licking ribs, the best in the world?"

"And coleslaw."

Crabapple Cove's finest let out a war whoop and proclaimed, "This is both a thank you and a payback," before kissing Trapper square on the mouth as everyone laughed and resumed various conversations.

Kate took a seat beside Margaret and Peg Hunnicutt. "He's your husband," she said to the former head nurse.

Margaret nodded, a smile creasing her face. "I'll claim him. After all, he is partly responsible for this," she replied, rubbing her swollen stomach.

"When are you due, Margaret?" Peg asked, keeping an ear tuned to the children.

"The end of next month. I'm looking forward to seeing this little fellow, rather than feeling him hammer away at my kidneys!" the blonde answered with a laugh.

The tantalizing smells of barbeque sauce and sizzling ribs soon mingled in the air along with the sounds of happy chatter. Becky and Kathy had been appointed ringleaders, keeping tabs on all the children present: Erin and Rob Hunnicutt; Jean, Judith, and Jackie Burns; Molly, Janie, and Andrew Blake; and of course their own siblings, Henry, Anne, and Grace. Of course, Kate and Peg were also keeping an eye on the children, and as the ribs finished cooking they started dishing up servings for the little ones. Lassie, for the most part obediently staying out from underfoot, waited patiently at Kathy's feet for a few choice morsels sure to fall from a child's plate.

After everyone had eaten their fill—or more, in some cases—the former campmates and their spouses started filling each other in on the goings-on in their lives.

"Hey Frank," BJ called out.

"Hmm?"

BJ grinned. "What say you, Ferret Face?" Immediately the former MASH members—even Charles and former-Colonel Sherman Potter—burst into laugher.

Even Frank laughed as he replied, "Oh…you guys!" just like days of old.

"Seriously, though, Frank, how has life been treating you these last few years?" Trapper asked. He wasn't sure how his wife had come across the Burns' address, since no one from the camp had heard from him since his psychotic break.

Frank shrugged. "Well, I served at the VA hospital while Louise and I patched up our marriage." He squeezed his wife's hand as he continued, "Even though I was a putz, I realized that she is one of the best things that happened to me, and I don't want to lose her." Louise smiled, a complete opposite from the woman Trapper had seen in Frank's wedding video. "Almost three years ago I finally realized what most of you already knew: I was a lousy doctor. So I quit." Margaret gasped as everyone stared at Frank with wide eyes. "I quit practicing medicine and opened…and you're not going to believe this…a pastry shop. I'm a pastry chef now."

"And he's a darn good one, too," Louise stated. "He's almost getting more orders than he can fill."

Frank nodded. "It's better this way. I'm home with my girls more, and I'm not getting called into the hospital for emergencies at all hours of the night." He glanced around at everyone. "I'm not the same Frank Burns you knew in Korea. I only hope that you see me as a better man now."

Margaret smiled. "Frank, I can't speak for everyone else, but I can see the change. You're happier now." She sipped her drink and turned to Charles. "What about you, Charles? You must have some news."

The former major, who had arrived with his brunette fiancée, smiled slightly. "I've been the head of thoracic surgery at Boston Mercy since I arrived stateside. I quite enjoy having the ability to take my time and do my work thoroughly, without the worry of a cretin shelling the operating room." His smile turned rueful as he added, "It took many months before I regained the ability to listen to Mozart without immediate flashbacks. I finally began attending concerts again, which is where I met Eleanor, a former classmate of mine."

"What kind of concert?" Radar asked.

"A concert portraying the work of Johann Sebastian Bach," Eleanor replied.

Radar smiled. "Ah, Bach." Trapper and Hawkeye burst into laughter.

"We used to go steady in high school," Eleanor said once the two men could control themselves. "I was surprised to hear what Charles had done since high school…not surprised that he became a doctor; that was inevitable, of course. But in all my life, I never pictured him serving at the front in Korea." She linked her arm through his, the sunlight catching her engagement ring. "I'm just glad he's home safe and that we found each other."

"As am I, my dear," Charles said, looking at Eleanor with tenderness in his eyes.

Sherman cleared his throat. "Winchester, you've grown a great deal since you left my command. So have you, Burns. Aw heck, so have all of us. Well, I intended to come home and be mainly Mrs. Potter's Mr. Potter." He chuckled slightly. "Guess the military wasn't quite out of my blood. I served as the administrator of the veteran's hospital back in Missouri for a year before finally becoming a semi-retired country doctor. I'd retire completely but then Mildred would kick me out to the barn after a week!" Mildred Potter chuckled in agreement. "And who else would be my assistant at the hospital but one of my company clerks?"

Everyone glanced at Radar, who shook his head. "Not me! I haven't left Iowa longer than a couple weeks since I got home."

"Klinger?" Charles said, incredulous.

Klinger nodded. "Yep. Me and Soon-Lee spent about a year in Missouri before moving back to Toledo." His expression darkened. "Some folks back home weren't too keen on accepting Soon Lee in the community."

Soon-Lee smiled. "They do accept me now. I am a member of the women's society, and they have been teaching me how to quilt. I am glad they accept me."

"If they didn't accept you at first, why did you move back?" Louise asked.

"Toledo's my home, and…sorry, Father, but I'll be damned if I can't live with my wife in the city I grew up in," Klinger replied. "Besides, it's hard to follow the Mudhens in Missouri!" Everyone got a chuckle from that.

"I, too, worked at the hospital with Sherman and Klinger…after continuing my work with the orphans in Korea," Father Mulcahy said in his thoughtful manner. "While I was still in Korea, I learned about an operation that could restore hearing loss to people who endured an injury such as mine. While I miss the children, I have no regrets about undergoing the surgery." He smiled his jovial smile. "I can hear confessions again. So if any of you have something to get off your chest, you can come to me again." Chuckles once again sounded throughout the group. "I returned to Philadelphia after my work in Missouri."

Sidney, who had been quietly listening to the stories, leaned forward in his chair. "I don't really have anything new or exciting to report," he admitted. "The good father and I often get together for visits, and whenever I'm called for a special case in Boston I take the time to visit Trapper and Kate, and Charles as well. I mainly treat patients with post traumatic stress from the war. Compared to what all I treated in Korea, well, one might say it's a walk in the park. I haven't felt the need to write a letter to Sigmund since I've gotten home."

BJ took the next turn. "After the war I went back to work at the hospital in Mill Valley. After a couple of years of falling in love with my beautiful wife all over again, Peg told me that Erin was going to be a big sister. I think I cheered loud enough that everyone in California could hear me."

Hawkeye slapped the table. "_That's _what that cheering was!" Margaret shushed her husband and gestured for BJ to continue.

"Okay, so everyone in California and Maine could hear it," BJ chuckled. "Erin loves her little brother, and Waggle loves having a new playmate. Last year I was appointed Chief of Surgery." He leaned back, linking his hands behind his head. "Things are looking good for the Hunnicutts."

Peg smiled and leaned her head against BJ's shoulder. "What about you, Lorraine? How have things been going for you?" she asked.

Lorraine smiled gently. "Life was a struggle at first, after Henry's death," she admitted. "But things eventually got easier. Other couples at the country club helped me get back on my feet, and…" A soft flush brushed across her face. "I ended up meeting someone, a very nice gentleman named Ed Winters. He's been a great help with things around the house. Ed has asked me to marry him, and I accepted." Everyone cheered, and Lorraine's eyes sparkled. "The children like him, and I think Henry would approve of my decision."

"Do you have a picture of him?" Patty O'Reilly inquired. Lorraine nodded as she pulled one from her purse and passed it around.

Kate whistled softly as she and Margaret looked at it. "He kind of looks like Colonel Flagg." When Lorraine raised an eyebrow at her, Kate chuckled. "I'll fill you in later."

"So, Radar, I haven't heard how you and the missus met," Klinger said, glancing at the man he had replaced as company clerk back at the 4077th.

Radar and Patty both grinned. "We met at the air base in Tokyo, during my last leave before…before I left," Radar said. "My seat on the flight I was supposed to take got taken by a cardboard cutout. So I was waiting for the next flight, which didn't leave until 0800 hours."

"And I came in to wait for my flight stateside," Patty added. "We sat by each other and started talking."

"We talked about everything. Turns out Patty lived just a few hours from Ottumwa. And she likes Grape Nehi!"

BJ grinned. "That must have been what made up your mind."

Radar shook his head. "Anyway, we exchanged addresses, and after I went home I wrote her a letter."

"We wrote each other for months. He's such a great writer; so descriptive and eloquent," Patty said, a dreamy look in her eyes.

Sherman leaned over and patted Radar on the shoulder. "Well, Son, looks like that 'Famous Las Vegas Writers School' finally paid off!"

Hawkeye laughed. "I'd forgotten about that!"

"After the Colonel helped send Park Sung to the farm to help us out, I took a day to drive over and see her," Radar continued. "Her family reminded me a lot of mine. We started visiting each other a couple of times a month."

Patty smiled, the dreamy look still in her eyes. "I remember when he asked me to marry him two years ago. Charlotte was having trouble lambing, so we were helping her with that…"

"Charlotte?" Hawkeye asked. "You don't mean that lamb you got a discharge for?"

Radar nodded. "Private Charles turned out to be Lieutenant Charlotte."

"Anyway, she ended up having twin lambs. I was sitting in the straw, bottle feeding one of them, and Radar just came out and asked me to marry him."

BJ lightly slapped Radar's arm. "What, no getting down on bended knee with a ring?"

"Oh, I consider that horse and buggy thinking," Radar replied. As everyone around the table protested, he grinned. "I'm joking. I did everything proper that evening after we got cleaned up. But when I saw her sitting in the straw, holding a new, wet lamb in her lap, I just had to ask her then. She said yes, and we had the wedding at the farm a few months later."

"How's the farm doing, Son?" Sherman asked.

Radar shrugged slightly. "It's doing better now. When I first got home, I had to take a job at the General Store, but with Park Sung's help we've had decent harvests the last few years."

"And how's your mother?" the former colonel asked.

"Ma died last winter." Murmurs of sympathy echoed around the group.

"Well…" Hawkeye started to speak but Margaret stopped him.

"You've got other news, don't you?" she asked Patty. "Kate, Peg, do you see what I see?" The two women looked closely at Patty, and immediately spotted what Margaret had. Patty had a tell-tale twinkle in her eyes.

The scrutinized woman grinned. "How can you tell?"

"You have that look in your eye," Kate replied.

Radar wrapped his arm around Patty. "Well, you're right." He looked around the group, his smile growing. "In January, we're gonna have a baby!"

As the congratulations died down, Hawkeye glanced around. "Can I go now?" he asked, his typical grin on his face. Without waiting for an answer, he went on. "After the war I came home and worked with Dad at the hospital in Crabapple Cove, enjoying the lobsters again. Heck, enjoying everything about civilian life again! Now I get to know my patients as people instead of as casualties. Since I've been back, Dad's been cutting back on his load of surgery; I'm now chief surgeon at the hospital. I take all the new patients, which is fine by me. Along the way I met a very beautiful nurse, asked her to marry me, and here we are. The end."

"Gee, thanks, Hawkeye," Margaret said wryly. "After I helped the 8063rd consolidate, I was sent to Tokyo General for a little bit before finally getting stateside. I was assigned to an army hospital, but after a couple months there I realized something. I was tired of the Army. Me, a born Army brat! Can you believe it? So I put in my resignation and willingly became a civilian. I moved to San Francisco and worked at San Francisco General for a year, then after some prodding from BJ and pleading from Hawkeye, I packed up and moved to Maine."

"Margaret! I did not plead for you to come here." After a semi-icy look from his wife, Hawkeye admitted, "Well, maybe I pleaded for your skills as a nurse." That comment earned him a swat on the arm.

"As I was saying, I moved to Crabapple Cove a little over three years ago to work as Head Nurse at the hospital. Of course, that meant I was working with this clown every day. Eventually, sparks started flying, as I'm sure some of you had hoped would happen back in Korea. We were married last summer, and," she patted her stomach, "this little one is due at the end of next month."

"Dad sold me the house I grew up in, so little Pierce here will be able to grow up in the same room I did. He said he had 'rattled around in that big house long enough'. Of course, he bought a little house down the street, so he'll be close enough to spoil his grandchild thoroughly."

Kate smiled. "And if I know your father, he will happily do just that!" She glanced at her husband. "I've kept myself busy with the children; I resigned from the hospital after Grace was born. They keep me busy, that's for sure! Sometimes we get a chance to visit Hawk and Margaret in Maine, which the children love."

"I was named Chief Surgeon at Boston Mercy three years ago," Trapper added. "Most of the time I've got good hours, but every now and then the hours stink. But," his crooked grin creased his face, "the pay is great."

As everyone chuckled, Henry ran up to Hawkeye. "Uncle Hawkeye, Uncle Radar, Uncle BJ, come play with us!" Unable to resist the pleading look in the youngster's hazel eyes, the requested men—as well as Frank and Klinger—went to entertain the children, while their wives shared parenting tips. Sidney, Sherman, and Father Mulcahy sat and reminisced as old friends do, and Charles and Eleanor enticed Lorraine into a discussion about classical music.

Amidst it all, Trapper contently watched as his friends—old and new—mingled and reunited, strengthening the familial bond started back in Korea. Kate sighed happily and rested her head against Trapper's shoulder, reminding him of another, more personal bond that had started in Korea. Pressing a kiss to his wife's forehead, Trapper wrapped his arm around her before summing everything up with two simple words:

"Finest kind."

**_THE END_**


End file.
